


400CQ, Part 2: The Aedus Empire

by miraimisu



Series: The 400 Coin Quest [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions, Pocket Monsters: Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon | Pokemon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Versions
Genre: Action/Adventure, Character Development, Conversation on Trauma, Cooking, Dancing, Demonizing Lusamine vol. LXII, Enemies to Allies to Rivals to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Gladion Cares About Moon a Lot, Hau is The Mom Friend, Ilima is a SHAMELESS flirt, Ilima is a flirt, Lillie and Lusamine as Princess and Empress, Minor Character has Become Major, Moon vs. Gladion (FINALLY), Ominous Plot, Promises, Sacrifice, TRAGEDY STRIKES, Temporary Character Death, The OTP Cooks Together, The Plot Has Thickened, bed sharing, pinky promises, slowburn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:48:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 130,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21876895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miraimisu/pseuds/miraimisu
Summary: Gladion is a man of held in impatience, a man of prowess and experience. He has a downright insane assassin and an innocent smiling sorcerer as allies, a pocket full of dreams and a blade sharper than steel. He doesn't have any friends. At least that's what he's been telling himself all along.But nothing could have ever prepared him for what was to come in the next chapter of his life. Absolutely nothing."And it's rich that I, of all people, gotta say this; but we're fucking friends whether you want it or not, got it!?" A laboured breath escapes her. "Scratch that, we're super fucking good friends, you jerk! And if you haven't noticed it already, you got one hell of a problem!"[PLAYLIST]
Relationships: future Gladio | Gladion/Moon, future Hau/Lilie | Lillie (Pokemon)
Series: The 400 Coin Quest [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1539001
Comments: 58
Kudos: 32





	1. Dawn Square Market

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion wakes up from a long sleep to another war.

When Gladion comes to, he does so on a soft bed. The notion of something this comfortable is foreign to him. He's been sleeping on several things, this far: a cell's ground, the grass, a stone, a bed that was more wood and springs than feathers, and another bed with a mattress certainly more plush, but still rather uncomfortable.

The duvet he feels draped over his body is heavy, just enough to make him feel sheltered. The mattress is soft and gives in under his weight, almost like quicksand, but with the security that this bed won't eat him alive, but will rather _keep_ him alive. There is a faint scent of alcohol and disinfectant in the air, barely appreciable under the smell of fresh furniture and clean carpets.

The temperature is warm. It's nearly _too_ warm. As feeling comes back to his system, his fingers twitch on the duvet, a groan escaping his dry throat as a beam of light lands on his pale complexion. The back of his eyelids are about to burn off if someone doesn't close that window, but, as memory also comes back to his mind, he's lucky to be safe and sound.

His mind runs a small dose of damage control on his body: his abdomen feels sore all over, but as he later discovers with a growl from his stomach, it might be due to hunger. His shoulder is not hurting anymore, even if he can remember feeling a very sharp pain before he had collapsed.

And as he realizes the sticky situation he had been in, his eyes finally flutter open. He's met with a small window in front of his bed, bamboo green walls and medical supplies on a small table. The windowpane gives view to the beautiful cerulean sky outside, and birds chirp animatedly outside the window. Gladion isn't sure how much time has passed between him passing out by the Soakedge Strait and him arriving here, but he feels it has been a rather long time.

He attempts to sit up on the bed, but the task is arduous. His muscles are numb for the most part, and he can't feel his legs. He brings all his effort to shift them or make them move the littlest bit and is instantly relieved when he's able to move them. Who knows what could have happened while he was out of it.

The door to his right opens with a creak, and a soldier clad in white and golden steps into the room. He doesn't look up at first and focuses on his papers, but when he realizes Gladion is awake, he seems startled. "Oh, you are awake! We weren't expecting you to be back up after all this time."

"... All this time?" he rasps out. The soldier excuses himself, probably realizing the patient might need water, and shuffles out of the room. His odd words leave a bitter taste in Gladion's mouth, even more curious now to know how much time could have passed.

The blond tries to take a peek outside from his bed. He can see what looks like a big plaza and the stairs of another building, making him think he might be in some sort of palace. He certainly is somewhere safe, or that's what it looks like, and much cleaner than the many places he had stayed at thus far.

The door opens again, but this time, a female soldier steps into the room with a glass of water, two chips of ice dancing in the glass. "Good morning, young man. We're happy to see you awake. Please, drink some water."

In his prime, Gladion would have questioned whatever liquids given to him by a stranger – as Faba had very eagerly taught him to do at a very young age – but in his state of thirst, Gladion eagerly takes it and takes a generous sip. The chilly fog around the grass hydratates the skin of his oddly dry fingertips.

"I should have opened the window, maybe. I didn't know you were this sensitive to the heat," laments the woman, accepting the glass from Gladion as he finishes the water. "The Lunaria Plains get very hot in early autumn."

Early autumn? Lunaria Plains? He's heard that name before, spoken by a few people– but, more specifically, he's heard Moon talk about it when they talked about their runaway plan. If this woman is speaking about the Lunaria Plains as somewhere close to where he is, that means he can't possibly be within the realm of the Kandrus Empire anymore.

Which means he's safe. And that he has successfully crossed the Soakedge Strait and has arrived, one way or another, to the southern part of the Aedus Empire.

"Would you like some more water?"

Gladion shakes his head. "No, thank you." Nodding, the woman places the glass on the nightstand by his bed. "Where… exactly am I?"

"Ah, I was told you would be pretty confused when you woke up. My apologies for not elaborating– you must be a little lost." Agreeing with this, the blond nods curtly. "You are in the hospital wing of Dawn Square Market, at the south of the Aedus Empire and in the middle of the Lunaria Plains. I don't think you have ever been here before, right?"

"I'm afraid not."

"I was told so. I don't know the details of what happened before you were carried here, but the Captain will fill you in once he comes back from reporting to the Capital." Gladion doesn't understand half of what this woman is saying, but he nods again nonetheless. "We have gathered you come from the neighboring Dominion, but you will be safe here. You had very deep wounds all over your body."

Gladion instinctively fumbles over what he realizes to be a medical robe. He can't feel the familiar blood pulsing out of his system, nor any cuts on his face. Everything is closed and, as he looks down, also clean.

The soldier walks to the table on the room and picks up a notepad, flipping up a paper and nodding to herself. "One infected wound on your shoulder, another smaller one on your stomach, and several cuts inflicted on your body. We assumed most of these were caused by a sword of some sort, correct?"

Gladion tries to take some steps back and remember what had exactly gone down before blacking out. He had woken up in the Outpost, then he had run away and– Gladion swallows a sour gulp of vexation as he remembers Moon's smug face as she sailed into oblivion without him, probably exercising some revenge on him for reasons he can't remember right now.

After that, he had met with what seems to be Aedus soldiers, fought some pirates again, and fainted– or, at least, he assumes he did, because he has no recollection whatsoever of anything happening beyond said battle. He had had a wound to his shoulder, indeed, and another on his stomach that he had seemingly not noticed.

His hand still seeks for a wound on his shoulder. "I remember the one on my shoulder. I wasn't aware of the rest."

She nods once more. "You fainted due to blood loss, and probably some sort of prior condition to your encounter with the troops. Did anything of significance happen before this encounter?"

Other than Moon flipping her finger at him and fucking off to the horizon? Maybe a bit too much to tell in this woman's possibly busy schedule, but by the way she looks at him, she might actually have time to listen to him.

"Two companions of mine and me headed to the Blackring Outpost at the north of the Kandrus Dominion and things went wrong, so I had to run away. I had been fighting prior to that runaway, but I would say nothing worth reporting happened during that fight," Gladion explains slowly, picking up the pieces as he goes. "There are some gaps I can't seem to fill in between the fight and me running away, but that would pretty much be the gist of it."

The woman nods and writes something down on her notepad. "Could it be that you fainted?"

Gladion presses his back against the back of his bed, folding his arms as he nods. "Possibly. I wouldn't be able to say for sure."

"I see."

The faint noise of her mechanical pencil writing on paper is the only thing filling the silence and the room. If Gladion tries hard enough, he can hear people talking in adjacent rooms, but there's a constant buzz in his hearing that he can't shake off yet.

"The Captain will later come to see you and tell you about everything else, but," she puts her pencil on the notepad, and the notepad is left on the nightstand along with the empty glass of water, "you must know that you have been unconscious for… quite a while."

"Quite a while? And how much would that be?"

"Hm." The woman looks behind her, where a calendar lies, and that's when her mention of 'early autumn' falls on him like a bucket of cold water. "Give or take, a month. A month and a couple of days."

That declaration _shocks_ him, and her reluctance to say that dreaded quantity makes sense. A month is… a _long_ time to be unconscious. He can't explain how uncomfortable that notion makes him feel. About thirty days have passed that he's missed, where everything and anything could have changed without his knowledge. Many things could have happened and he has not been awake to see them. Moon and Hau could have gotten far away from him in such a large period of time, and as much as he wants to tell himself that's fine, the memory of their abrupt scattering into different directions makes him feel uneasy.

Gladion is not fond of matters without a closure. He doesn't particularly hold a soft spot for anybody, but those two had been valuable assets that he feels odd without, having come so far and finding himself alone.

But it's fine. He knows it's fine. He will be fine. "That's… a long time, indeed."

"What matters the most now is that you are awake," she chirps in, voice positive but not cheering. "You will have to go through some rehabilitation to get your mobility back in shape. Considering the prowess you are rumored to have, I suppose it shouldn't be a problem," she nods to herself, scanning him from eye to toe. "Are there any medical conditions we should be aware of?"

"None worth mentioning. Though I would like to take some food, if possible. I'm… a bit hungry," he admits in a disgruntled manner, not liking how weak he is, but also aware that he will have to swallow it otherwise he won't be back on track again.

"That's perfectly normal. We can provide you with crutches, and you can head to the cafeteria in the market. We are in a shortage of food at the moment, so most of our troops are having lunch there. You can ask them for information on your condition if you want– they know more than I do, that's for sure."

Gladion nods and the woman soon leaves him alone. She might be aware of Gladion's need for space, or maybe his face is much more expressive than words will ever be.

The swordsman looks outside. There is a tree so tall its leaves peep from the upper part of the window, but their green hue has turned yellowish on some spots, and suddenly, one small leaf dangles off from its branch and floats downward and scares the silent birds on the windowsill, making them fly away to the sky. It's a beautiful day outside.

He is glad to be awake, at least, and distractedly wonders how he had gotten to a place like this.

* * *

Gladion eventually makes it outside. He's told by the same lady from earlier that he should be using a crutch, at least one, so despite his insistence that he can walk fine, his actual demonstration of what would pass as decent and regular walking, he's given a crutch and he has no other option but to take it.

When he had woken up and heard the name of the place they are in, Dawn Square Market, Gladion had thought that they were exactly in what the name suggests: a _market_. But as he strides out of the building, he finds himself in what seems to be a big patio, not an actual market.

It looks more like a big plaza, maybe. This town has no streets, no slopes, it's just a small concentration of houses distributed along the walls of the town, all of it square-shaped, harmonic, and dotted with trees where the slate path ends. It's oddly pleasing to the eye, he thinks, and it might have to do with the fact that everything looks clean and meticulously placed, unlike most buildings anywhere he had visited.

He likes the fact that it's sunny outside, too, and how much space there is for him to move. He had been told that the restaurant offers free food for soldiers and that he would be given the same treatment by the Captain's petition. Gladion's interest in this person is growing by the second, so much so he really wants that guy to come back.

Not only does he want to give a face to the guy who had probably saved his life and was making such much easier, but he also is dying to know what on _earth_ could have happened for him to be out of it for a whole _month_. He also wants to thank him, of course, but his interests are more aligned with impatience and a need to fill in the gaps rather than genuine gratitude.

The cafeteria is a small place, but it has a lot of people eating, at least outside. There are a few tables placed on the patches of grass outside the slate path of the plaza, each table covered by a big white parasol with unturned lights slung over the edges. The salty smell of fried fish wafts in the air as Gladion digs his crutch on the grass, then hops forward.

Gladion had never really used a crutch. He had never broken any arms or legs, even though Faba had many times insisted that he used to be a rebellious clumsy child. He's grateful for the extra support, though, as hard as it is to get used to it. The woman from earlier had told him it would only be temporary and that he should use it to not overstimulate his limbs and make his recovery steadier.

Had he paid enough attention during Faba's medical classes and maybe he would know the science behind that, but what little he knows matches with that woman's expertise, so he ended up following her advice.

Some people are looking at him as he shuffles to the entrance, probably because of the crutch. Their eyes are too focused on him, he knows, and it makes him uncomfortable, to be seen fooling around like this. He has the sneaking suspicion their staring might also have a bit to do with his appearance; even though most people he's seen are fairly skinned and he blends much better with them than with the Kandrus folk – who have much more tanned skin in general, and dark hair – his platinum hair and almost sick-looking skin color make him stand out like second nature.

His skin might be extra pale because he's just gotten out of some sort of coma and he needs a very heavy shot of Vitamin D. Maybe eating with his palms to the sun would help him recharge. But that's not his current concern.

Gladion pushes the door open and walks in. The scent from earlier grows almost offensive to the nose, yet he enjoys it immensely in his state of sheer starvation. The place has scant tables and most of them are full, yet he sees a vacant one close to a window that overlooks a patch of grass with a few merchants, so he hurries – as best as he can – to the table.

In his way there, he takes note of the many delicate pastries on the displays: cinnamon buns bursting with cream and that brown spice; small cannoli with cream and powdered sugar on top; shiny pretzels with several seasonings on top; and the single galette that the waiter has just plucked away for some lucky customer. What a shame.

Gladion heaves down on the chair. It has cushions at the back and on the seat itself, and the comfortable seat draws a sigh out of him. He cranes his neck around to get rid of the residual tension left in his body, and just as he's about to pick up the small menu on the table, a waiter approaches him.

"Good morning, mister." Gladion nods a greeting wordlessly. "I'm guessing you are that young man that the Captain told us about, right? He told us you might come by at some point, so..."

"I'm not sure what your Captain could have said to you, so I'm not sure if I am the guy you are looking for."

"He told us to look out for a, I shall quote," much to Gladion's surprise, the waiter pulls out a small paper and clears his throat, "'Young man with bright green eyes and very bright hair. He might also be wearing a sword.'"

Gladion is, indeed, young, a man, has bright eyes and his sword is not with him, but he had been assured it is safe and being looked at by a professional blacksmith for any necessary repairs. "I would say that's me, then."

He's given the menu – which is rather lacking in its variety, but the waiter assures him everything will be delicious no matter what he chooses, so Gladion opts for a whim and chooses the fried fish. He hasn't had something like that in a while, he realizes, thus why the smell from earlier had been so appetizing.

The waiter parts with a nod and tells him that his food will take approximately twenty minutes to be ready, so after he's given a bit of bread, water, and his fork and knife, Gladion fixes his eyes on the outside. The space left between the restaurant and the walls of the town is rather small, so the merchants are slightly jam-packed into that space, but they look joyful. A merchant has a whole mantle of gemstones spread on a small stand, which reminds him of Moon and Hau, for some reason.

He hopes they are okay, and while he hopes Hau is completely fine, he hopes Moon is alive but sick or maybe with a broken arm for leaving him stranded on a whim. The nerve of that woman.

"Excuse me."

Gladion turns his head to see a woman standing before him, holding out a familiar pendant in front of him that he instantly curses about, then grabs it from the woman's hand with haste, letting out a sigh of relief. "I saw you drop this earlier. Thought it'd be good to return it."

"I… thank you," he nods and sighs again, clutching his lived pendant to his chest a bit too tight. His heart has tightened up and gone stiff, breath quickening at the thought of losing this particular item. It's a familiar keepsake, almost an heirloom. The smooth surface feels cold under his hands.

The woman, much to Gladion's irritation, hasn't left yet, and is eyeing him and the necklace slyly. "Wow, you seem rather fond of that necklace, huh? You're lucky I saw it drop– well, my friend saw it, but that's another story." Gladion nods slowly, his eyebrows slightly knitting as all gratitude he felt earlier is replaced by confusion for this woman's eagerness. "Happy I could help you out somehow."

"Yeah, thank you again," he says once more, hoping the woman will take the hint and leave him alone, yet there is this uncanny interest in her eyes that is gluing her to him, somehow.

"Olivia, there you are. I was looking for you."

And, as though the situation couldn't get any stranger, a tiny girl with long ponytails waltzes into Gladion's view, coming from the back of the restaurant. She's probably a whole head shorter than him, maybe even more, and her eyes are bigger than the sun. They are oddly empty as they turn to him, the big orange hat she wears shadowing her brown irises.

Her small nose wrinkles slightly. "Your hair looks rather unsightly, young man. I would advise you let a proper hairdresser give you a just as proper trim."

Why is it that she looks like she's ten years old yet speaks like a walking thesaurus? Gladion curls his lips in disdain, then turns to the window. "No, thanks."

"What a shame, then." And despite the conversation being over, her eyes stare at him for a while more, and when Gladion finally turns to look at her, she's deep in thought. "Ah, of course. You must be that young man that the Aedus troops found, right?"

That question makes Gladion's shoulders perk up in attention, and the girl nods in understanding. The woman, who he assumes is called Olivia, clasps her hands together. "So _that's_ why you are so familiar! Everyone's talking about you like you're the plague, boy. Your hair is hard to miss."

Before Gladion can ask what's up with that, however, the small one is turning to the other with a faint frown in her expression. It's the only feature in her physique, other than her peculiar lexicon, that gives away a foreboding maturity. "Olivia, we do not have time to chat. We have other comeuppances to take care of at this moment. I believe you know what issue I am referring to."

"Yeah, you're right about that. Got carried away for a teensy moment, you see." Olivia turns to him, and only when she raises her hand to shake his is when he sees a long, thin sword peeking from under her pink long coat. "I would've loved to stay and chat, but we ladies got stuff to do. See ya' around, boy."

And with a wink from the woman, she parts ways and lets him be, finally, and as the other girl trails behind her, Gladion realizes that not only is Hapu carrying a rather sophisticated bow on her back, but that they have also left him hanging.

He's only interrupted when his food arrives, steaming and distracting for just a second. When he looks back to the door, however, the two women are no longer there and have vanished, though he's certain they wouldn't have made it to the door in time to vanish so quickly.

Maybe he's just being irrational and too curious for his own good. Gladion shakes his head dismissively and looks out the window for what seems like seconds before steps come to his table again.

The waiter lowers a dish of steaming fish right before Gladion, and when the latter thanks him for serving the dish so quickly, the other seems utterly puzzled by this, but thanks him nonetheless, and expresses his hope for Gladion to enjoy the meal.

Huh.

* * *

Gladion's day flows as usual, though his perception of 'usual' has had so many twists lately he doesn't know what's routinary anymore. He's traveled across the whole Kandrus Dominion and done about a hundred different morning routines, all of them different and always in the company of somebody else.

He would say the right word for his day would be _mundane_. He got up from bed, had a bite of breakfast, then a whole Hau-worthy lunch, then walked around for a little while. He was advised that he didn't approach the Lunaria Plains yet, as some creatures there had turned rather rebellious as of late, so he resorted to staying within the limits of the walls.

It reminds him of his days in Ludwig Town, almost, sans the angry narcissistic parrot with glasses and a beard with the name of Faba; getting up, eating, eating some more, training, then eating, then sleeping, sprinkled with some books in between. This time, however, things were slower and he hadn't encountered almost anyone in his walk. He would dare say that those two women from earlier were the peak of his day.

Gladion had a quaint dinner in his dorm, brought to him by the soldier that he had woken up to. The female one was scouting outside, whatever that means, and Gladion just nodded as he took a bite of his bread with cheese. An appetizer simple enough to look boring, but surprisingly tasty.

He goes to bed a pair of hours after sunset. He spends the first minutes– _hours_? He isn't sure of how much time passes, but he spends them looking at the naked ceiling of the dorm and already loathing how silent and warm everything is.

When did he get used to the dirt under his nails and the usual blow of wind from the forest? When did he become this _uncivilized_ , as Faba would put it? It's rather unsettling how he can't adjust to being safe, now, after spending almost a month in the wilderness like a rogue. He wants to say it's just that he's all over the place after being asleep for weeks, but his heart tells him otherwise.

And just as he's about to go down an entire rabbit hole about his own feelings and thoughts, Gladion hears a horn in the silence of the night, and then, screaming.

His flight-or-fight instincts kick in faster than his mind does, not thinking twice before he's sitting upright and looking out the window. There are a sizable quantity of soldiers scattered throughout the previously peaceful plaza, now enshrouded in darkness and riddled with creatures of twisted shapes, screeches so loud they ring clearly within Gladion's room.

He has seen them before, along with the people rushing into the plaza that clearly don't belong there: fiends similar to those he had seen in Bleakdross, and people with uniforms of colors only worn by soldiers of the Kandrus Dominion. "Why in the world are there _fiends_ here?"

Gladion busts out of his dorm and finds the hospital wing empty. While he had been told about this being a _wing_ , it's only a pair of rooms and a small hall within the main administrative building of the town, so he assumes his sword will be somewhere close.

He finds it fortunately quick in a storage room, carefully hanging from a small screw on the wall, and he looks at it in search of any significant changes, finds none, and nods to himself before speeding outside.

The night covers the now battlefield in unfortunate shadows, but he can make out the shapes of soldiers fighting in the frontlines, and as he rushes outside with a slam of the front doors, a man of strong complexion turns to him. "You! How fortunate of you to be awake at this hour."

"Me?" Gladion points at himself in disbelief. "What do you mean?"

"The Captain informed us that you are a highly capable swordsman and that you helped him greatly during a Blackring ambush back in the Kandrus Empire, correct?" Gladion nods and tries to remember any of the faces he had seen that day, but everything remains as a blur. "Fiends have taken over the town– they came out of nowhere! Scouting agents claimed that they had not been able to contain the surge and that they would arrive here soon– and here they are now!"

Gladion is visibly alarmed by this. "Nobody knows where they came from?"

"Absolutely nobody. These fiends surge from sprouts of dark chi, which our Captain has been investigating lately. We need to shake them off before they wreak more havoc and, more importantly, hurt any citizen of our town," explains the soldier, taking out his long sword, giving it a twirl in a fashion similar to Moon's– _now is not the time to remember her_ , "I'm aware of your condition, but we would be eternally thankful for your help, warrior. The Captain will arrive anytime soon, but with your help, we will make significant strides. Please, help us."

While not particularly self-seeking, Gladion has a very prominent sense of self-preservation that wants to run away from this mess as quickly as possible, but another sense of justice and goodwill has grown within him lately, that much he knows because he does not turn down his request; rather, he's accepting it with a nod, looking around the battlefield.

"Is there anything I should be mindful of?"

"Not at all. Just destroy as many of these creatures as possible. We will take care of the Kandrus spies ourselves, we wouldn't want to involve a refugee politically in a matter as delicate as this."

An all-out brawl? Moon and Hau would have had the time of their lives, and so would he. After spending the whole day idle and bored out of his mind, releasing some energies will do him some good. Twisting his shoulders and squinting his eyes at the tangled web of fiends, he sighs and then sprints into the madness, slicing one approaching fiend as he goes.

One particular detail he had noticed about these beings during his training in Bleakdross is that fiends are exceptionally weak. They are not much more than raw dark chi, which is as easy to create as it is to destroy. One precise slice of his sword across the legs or torso would do, but most of these creatures writhe and shake their limbs in any way to land an attack on the soldiers.

However, Gladion has had more experience with these than most of these people. Some are panicking, clearly novices, but most of the soldiers are keeping their cool and fighting on. Gladion is one of them, gliding across the field as he fights his way through the field.

Funny: Moon would have probably nailed a job like this, as quick and bloodthirsty as she is– but he would, too, because he's just as capable as her. He breaks the fiends to pieces as he runs, slicing his sword left and right in a rather unkempt manner, much like a gardener would cut the grass, except his moves are swifter and very much precise.

He leaves nobody unscathed, no stone unturned, no darkness at his wake. Some soldiers turn in his direction, yet his brazen behavior inspires them to fight harder, albeit he doesn't notice this and flashes through the battlefield with pride he hadn't felt swell this hard in a while. It feels invigorating, rudimental, wild, but very liberating in a way he's just beginning to discover.

But as he's finishing off one fiend, sword digging into the ground, a laugh comes from behind him but before he can attack the newcomer, said newcomer is slicing one fiend that had come from behind him.

From beyond the darkness appears a face he's seen before: blond-pinkish hair with a serene expression, twinkling eyes and armor completely clean– he had just arrived at the battle, proud and being cheered on by his mates.

They call him the Captain. And he presents himself as such.

"I believe you never told me your name, stranger." He says, eyes still on him even as he twists his sword to a side to kill a threatening fiend. "It's good to finally meet you. I am Ilima, the Captain of the Guard in Dawn Square Market! And we have to clean up this place."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WELCOME ABOARD AGAIN MATES WE'RE GOING BACK AT IT AGAIN AT KRISPY KREME /dabs
> 
> I love Ilima as all of you are about to realize. I ADORE the Aedus Empire because it's so much more CLEAN and GREEN AND LOVELY it's like all meadows and butterflies and starlight and mystifying and ELEGANT. Like you can see in the map that there's a LOT more green and a lot more WHITE and it's all just lovely. 
> 
> This arc has also more DRAMA and more BONDING and less boring exposition EUGH GROSS we only want feelsies here. And also lots of traveling. 
> 
> Be warned this arc is gonna soccer punch you on the face and that the name of the Empire should be familiar just saying /whistles and walks away


	2. The Man Born With A Star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion learns an important history lesson and makes a new friend, or so he thinks.

Taking care of the fiends had proven to be equal parts long and easy job. The arrival of Ilima to the battlefield had made things smoother, but not necessarily shorter. Gladion would even argue that the constant praises for the Captain had made things drag on for longer than they should have, but it's not his business to meddle with that.

He and the Captain had talked very briefly. Ilima had been on a trip at the west of the Dominion investigating these sudden appearances of fiends, but he had said nothing else on the matter. Their lead had sadly taken them to their very own town, and he and his team had rushed into action as quickly as humanly possible. Gladion had said very little and listened for a long time, albeit very disregarding of the situation as, after all, it's not is business– but he can't deny that he's somewhat worried about this menace.

Ilima, in Gladion's eyes, had come across as diligent and expertly skilled with his sword. His manners of fighting are much more polished than those of Gladion's and just as effective, though there is a very flashy lining in his behavior that reminds him of Moon in very bad ways.

However, Ilima had been quick to send him to bed and promised to answer all his questions the following day.

The next day rolled down the horizon with clouds and light fog. Gladion was told during breakfast that the weather changed frequently at the beginning of every season, so he should look out for any sudden downpour that might occur. It wouldn't rain hard until the second half of the season, not in the southern part of the Dominion at least, so he's content with that.

He's summoned to Ilima's office an hour after noon, being led by guards to the back of the main building of Dawn Square Market. When he enters the room, Ilima is sitting at his desk with a sea of papers scattered across the surface, only looking up to greet his visitor. "Ah, there you are. It's good to see you back in shape."

The Captain beckons at Gladion and the guard to come in, then gets up to approach them and offer a hand to the blond, who shakes it politely. Manners and polite behavior had been tightly ingrained into his brain during his upbringing, so he has no problem in situations as formal as these. However, Ilima looks more jovial and carefree than formal, smiling at him like that.

"I believe we didn't present ourselves correctly during none of the two times we met. It's marvelous to finally meet you properly," says the man with a casual smile, nodding as he walks back to his desk, standing behind it as he offers Gladion a seat. "I am the Captain of the Capital's Guard, Ilima, but I believe I told you already, didn't I? What's your name?"

"I'm Gladion… no rank names to mention." Ilima chuckles and nods again. Gladion looks around himself. "I assume we're in the Capital, then? I thought it would be much bigger than this, no offense intended."

"Ah, none taken," says Ilima good-naturedly. "This is not the Capital. It's more of an annexed town. The Capital, Zeffarei, stands only a pair of kilometers away from here," he explains, and then sighs. "Unfortunately, the, uh, _events_ that have been taking place lately led me to close the path between the city and this town for a while."

Gladion nods again. Now that he thinks about it, he had heard people around him talk about that issue a fair amount of times, all of them sounding irritated about the measure but also admitting that there was not much more to be done. Ilima seems to be very respected in this town by his peers, which is refreshing to see.

The mention of that name also brings something to mind. "Then, I assume there is no available access to the Capital now, right?"

"Not until we find the source of trouble that brought so much chaos last night. It worries me greatly that these fiends might attack the Empress and her family. They might be able to handle themselves and they surely have a… rather _trustful_ guard with them, but I wouldn't want to put them in danger. Or the citizens of Zeffarei, for that matter."

As usual, Gladion doesn't know half the people mentioned, but he nods all the same and feigns understanding.

"Which also brings me to my next concern– that being you, I'm afraid." Under the weight of Gladion's wide eyes, Ilima takes a seat. "I suppose you wish to talk about… well, what happened before you got here."

"Well, of course," Gladion mutters. The way Ilima speaks reminds him of Faba, yet he's miles kinder and more posed than that harsh man would ever be. "I… don't understand why or _how_ I could have been unconscious for a time that long. I was told I was unconscious for an entire month."

Ilima nods, a grim line replacing his lips. "Yes, that sounds right. The nurses told me you had lapses of conscience, but they were very small. We were afraid you wouldn't make it, but thankfully, you did." Gladion remains silent at that declaration, digesting the information with a frustrated expression. "Now, I have to ask, how did you get to the situation we met in? You told us you were fighting Blackring marauders, am I right?"

The swordmaster clears his throat. "Well, yeah. I had come into the Blackring Outpost to battle the bandits, but things went wrong really quickly and I had to escape."

"That sounds remarkable. Did you attempt to accomplish that feat on your own?"

Gladion shakes his head.

"When you collapsed, we took you and your belongings into our ship and we set sail immediately to bring you and our comrades to safety." There's a pause in which Ilima looks lost, gulping and rubbing the back of his neck in both perplexion and slight awkwardness. "However, as we were sailing across the Soakedge Strait, we were ambushed and hit by a Blackring ship, which we presumed must have been chasing after somebody else– it was not headed towards us after all."

Gladion is silent for two seconds, and at the third, he curses into his palm as he takes a fistful of his shirt at the memory of a smug Moon dumping him on the shore and sailing away.

Of course. How does one manage to cause so much chaos without being _present_? She's a magnet for trouble and pain, and headaches– the one he feels stir at the back of his head is truly one of a kind and has a name and a grinning face attached to it.

The blond murmurs a hypothesis. "And I guess my… precarious state was caused by that accident?"

"Yes, indeed. We believe the crash of the ship against ours caused you to fall off your bed, as some of my soldiers reported. The concussion generated from the fall must have caused damage that our medical team cannot discern, sadly." Gladion releases a long sigh that Ilima misinterprets as him being affected by that fact when Gladion is just cursing Moon over and over. "But we're glad to know that waiting it out did its magic."

"I guess I'm glad, too. Thanks for your hospitality."

Ilima nods, and Gladion remains silent. He almost misses the lack of nuance and activity from yesterday, because his mind is terribly scattered now: part of it is frustrated with Moon's unnecessary knack for trouble, the other is concerned with the fiends he had seen yesterday and the other is focused on how the guard won't stop staring at him, or how Ilima is still smiling a bit too politely.

It might be Gladion still being unused to human interactions like these, or maybe he just doesn't feel at ease here, so far away from his hometown, and a bit lonelier than what he's gotten used to. But he's trying to keep his grumpiness under check, and so far, it seems to be doing the trick.

In due time, Ilima clears his throat after a lapse of silence. "The thing is, we don't know where these fiends are coming from."

He opens the folded paper and reads it intently. The way he focuses on the conversation and the contents of the paper lead Gladion to believe the paper treats this topic, too.

"Dark chi in this Dominion is not exactly new. It isn't as bad as Bleakdross in the Kandrus Dominion, but it has always been manageable. Unspeakable events took place in this region, after all."

"This region? Do you mean this Dominion?"

"Not exactly, but it certainly applies to us, as well. Many things occurred in the abandoned tower in the depths of the Tundra ages ago. I can't seem to remember the name of that place right now, I'm afraid."

"Do you mean that snowy citadel, sir?"

"Yes, that's right. But I guess that's not important right now," he nods, then looks back at Gladion, whose face is expressionless, making Ilima smile knowingly. "Ah, you're not familiar with regional history, right? You are a foreigner, so it's only natural."

Gladion wants to think he has a rather firm grip on historical knowledge, but he's always suspected that Faba's books on history were rather… biased. Whenever Gladion would ask about certain time jumps or information gaps in the volumes, Faba would just say that ' _it is not a piece of history you should know, if it is not included in the syllabus_ ' or something dumb like that. Judging by how none of this even rings a bell, Gladion assumes he's been right all along.

"Your assumption is right, though I'd like to say I'm not exactly ignorant of history, either." Letting the Captain know that specific fact about him seems useless, so he keeps it to himself. Nobody notices the subtle lie. "I wouldn't mind getting to know more."

Ilima looks greatly pleased by this. His eyes crinkle at the edges and something shines behind his eyes. "A man interested in history has twice the worth, as the Empress says. Let's see…" Ilima twists his mouth in a way resembling of Hau, causing Gladion to internally berate himself because his mind should not be as occupied thinking about that pair of idiots as it is.

The guard chirps in from the back of the room. Gladion turns his eyes to see him standing by the door, but not blocking it. It's somehow nice to know he has a way out of here. "Sir, you should begin with the Karee Empire. It's a crucial part of our recent history."

Gladion gives the name a twirl in his head. He's heard bits and pieces about that part, but just barely. Nothing interesting. It had been a big empire – based on agriculture, wars and silk trades, as the books had scantly and very practically put it – that had been wiped clean from one night to another.

It had been one of the things he had asked Faba about and that he had been told to forget about, too, and at his young age, he had obeyed like a dog.

A mistake, it seems like.

"Well, the Karee Empire was one of the biggest Empires in the region at some point in history. It was founded centuries ago, and most of our culture derives from the remains of theirs. There's very little left from it, though; mostly structural wastes and a few altars in the Sandlands, but nothing worth mentioning." Ilima folds his arms in contemplation of his next words. "They had a solid timeline of emperors and lots of wealth, and the most powerful soldiers of them all. The Aedus Empire has taken many of them under its wing."

Something doesn't add up in Gladion's head, suddenly. "Wait, how so? How old was this Empire?"

"The downfall of the Karee Empire is fairly recent. It only happened two decades ago or so, maybe one decade and a few years, and when, um, certain events happened, most of the soldiers from the Empire sought refuge in the neighboring territories when the crisis began to take over the Empire."

That makes a fair amount of sense, so Gladion nods. "What is this _certain_ _event_ you are talking about?"

"Let's say that the Karee Empire was not healthy and thriving for all its life, and with the birth of the Kandrus Empire and a spike in warfare success from the Aedus Empire, it began facing some difficulties," explains Ilima, and Gladion hears a guard grunt in agreement, audibly proud of this. "For geographical context, the Karee Empire had its territories mostly based on what used to be the Sandlands, all of Bleakdross, and _beyond_."

Bleakdross belonging to another ancient empire is news to him, and rumors about that area begin to tie themselves into possible outcomes of this story. He nods, encouraging Ilima to continue. "How could something as big as that fall so quickly, though?"

"You are a pretty experienced traveler, right?" Gladion wouldn't call himself _experienced_ , as his standard for that is the sum of a crazy troublemaker and probably his godfather and Hau– and he's had nowhere as much experience as them, but he nods. "Have you heard that legend that somebody ripped a portal to the Dark Realm open and that it destroyed the whole Empire?"

"Yeah."

"Well, that's the actual story. Probably one of the few legends that _are_ true."

Ilima says this far too lightly for a topic as dark as this, but before Gladion can make anything out of that, the Captain's expression turns serious.

"We don't know names or what _exactly_ happened– after all, there's nobody who can tell us about that day, but investigations have theorized that somebody opened a portal to the Dark Realm. Entries from the Karee Emperor's diary point to a possible _coup d'etat_."

That's… intense. And insane. Gladion's first theory – as he's used to making theories out of any mystery on his way – is that the Blackring could have done this, but as much as they are rebellious and very much a pain in the ass, they don't look like the type of people who would tamper with dark chi– they probably don't know how to control something as complicated as that.

"So… it was all because somebody threw a fit and the Karee Empire _disappeared_? With the snap of two fingers?"

"The power of dark chi is beyond human knowledge. Once someone opens the door for the Dark Lord to sink its claws into, dark chi is unstoppable. It drains the life out of everything it touches. Nobody who has ventured into the Dark Realm has ever made it back alive, so it's highly possible such destruction was feasible."

A heavy silence hangs in the room after that has been done, much like a funeral is taking place and not a casual reunion between warriors. Birds chirp outside and there is a substantial amount of light in the room, but Gladion's heart clamors at the thought of a force so catastrophic existing– not to mention that it's free and rampant in the whole of Bleakdross.

Before he can make a question, Ilima speaks. "Investigations have also concluded that another portal was possibly opened in an abandoned tower in the Tundra, and thus the zone is currently unexplored. Only the most skilled people have made it there, but nobody has really come back, either. It's a very complicated issue, you see, so the thought of fiends coming our way alarms us."

No wonder it does. How can a topic so old and an event as tragic as it is _old_ come back after decades of silence? Gladion guesses that if dark chi had been a long-standing problem, he would have known and some buzz would have reached Ludwig Town.

Or at least, he _hopes_ that's the case, or else he will really feel like an idiot for not knowing about something as important as this. "And I guess you guys are out in the field looking for the reason behind these sudden occurrences, right?"

"Well, yes. We have the theory that a certain illegal group of drug dealers and cultists is hiding in the immediacies of the Lunaria Plains." Ilima stands up from his chair and opens up a folded map on his desk, revealing the whole of the Aedus Dominion. "They could be tampering with not only the Blackring, but also other unknown forces that, by the looks of it, could be tampering with dark forces as well. That's what our spy has told us, at least."

"And I assume you think they are the ones sending dark chi your way?"

"While dark chi appearing out of nowhere is nothing new, my forces and I have determined is that somebody is sending them to us purposefully, otherwise it doesn't make sense that they are coming directly towards us."

"Is there any reason they could be coming here and not somewhere else?"

Ilima is thoughtful for a long moment. "Have you ever been to the Bleakdross Incursion?"

"And the Highlands too."

"Ah, you truly don't shy away from a challenge, don't you?" It had been more a case of Moon leading him by the ear wherever it was the closest and more dangerous. Him being brave had been merely consequential. "As far as I know, fiends in Bleakdross feed on dark chi. They don't come to places like these unless they have a reason to."

Gladion hums in agreement. He hadn't seen fiends theoretically eat, but he doesn't know how fiends work to start with. How do they eat, and what sort of things do they feed from?

"Now that I think about it, there were a bunch of Kandrus officials barging in as well, right?"

"I suppose they just came here to have some fun. If your enemies are on a tight spot, I don't see why one wouldn't take the opportunity to strike as well. It was probably a product of chance rather than a meticulous plan," explains Ilima, and Gladion nods his head once.

After a deliberate pause, Ilima pushes his chair under his desk, letting Gladion know he wouldn't be sitting on it again. "In any case, that should be everything you need to know. My men and I will be partaking in an investigation across Lunaria Plains. You are free to join if you wish to."

The surprise in his expression must be palpable and obvious, because Ilima chuckles as he feels his own eyes widen. "How is it you would want to recruit a lone warrior like me?"

"The Aedus Empire knows a talented person when they see one, and as the Captain of the Guard, I am one of those people," he explains, gesticulating with a hand under his chin as all his interest is directed at Gladion. "I would not want to put more pressure on your recovery, however, so you're free to stay as well and part wherever you wish. We don't mean to tie you down."

The offer is tempting, to say the least. Gladion's enjoyment of daily life is a reminder of all he had been doing in Ludwig Town: nothing, compared to all he has accomplished thus far. Going back to contentment would mean growing stagnant, and he's discovered that he can't afford commodities anymore when he's in search of something as important as his family.

He thinks himself unnecessarily reckless, knowing he's not precisely adventurous and that he isn't precisely invested in Ilima's cause, but helping others had not been that bad thus far. Helping out once more would not hurt him.

He had told himself he would move forward. And moving forward means facing all that life is offering him– all while staying conscious, alive, and breathing.

"I will gladly part with you," Gladion responds after a solid minute, instantly turning Ilima's tense expression to a sigh of relief. "I would like to be of help, if possible."

Ilima smiles at him graciously. "I'm happy to hear that, it will be a lovely experience for all of us, I'm sure of that," a mirthless chuckle escapes him, puffing past his lips in bursts of humor. "Please, do keep yourself safe. We would not want you to break a leg or two."

At this attempt at a joke, Gladion folds his arms and a tiny smirk crosses his features at what could be interpreted as a tease. "Don't worry. I will make sure of that."

"That's good to hear." Ilima parts from the desk and, as he brushes past Gladion, he slants a hand on the blond's shoulder. Only from up close now does Gladion realize that Ilima is a bit older than he had anticipated– for sure older than himself, when from afar, he looks much younger. "We will part during the night, so make sure to be at the gates after the sun sets. We will camp outside tonight."

Such an arrangement is not new to him. He and Moon had put that into practice in the past with… rather poor results, but after repeating the same procedure into practice with Hau, he had found a very interesting advantage in having walked an extra mile before going to bed– he always clocks out like an owl the second he sees the futon.

He doesn't remember who came up with this idea – it was probably him, as Moon can't strategize to save her life – but it had been a wise one to follow.

Gladion nods wordlessly and Ilima exits his office, and the guard opens the door for both of them. "Very well, Gladion. I look forward to our cooperation. Go to the hospital wing for the last check-up, and have a good day."

"Thanks."

Ilima and Gladion are about to part ways when Ilima lets out a small gasp of surprise, then turns to the swordsman again. "One last thing," Gladion turns his head in Ilima's direction, looking at him from over his shoulder with his hands in his pockets. "Eat lots of food today. You will need it for tonight's walk."

Gladion doesn't understand everyone's deal with him eating, but he deems it to be a sensible idea and waves his hand at Ilima in farewell.

* * *

The night in Dawn Square Market is peaceful unlike anywhere else. Contrary to his previous belief, the weather has gotten mildly cool when he steps out of the building and takes to the field spread at the feet of the town.

As he had walked to the gates, he had expected to find a forest, maybe a cliff, or perhaps rocky pastures with uneven edges; but what he finds in the moonlit night is a field without as much of a bump, all of it flat and overtaken by the greenest of grass with flowers dotting the view. The plains have no visible end to them, even though he knows the coast to be relatively close. Where the Kandrus Empire had been rather arid or forest-y – there had never been an in-between, after all – the Lunaria Plains have little to no trees, and those that stand in view are big and verdant, the leaves rocking with the breeze of the night.

Gladion closes his eyes as he lets the breeze play with his hair. It's been a while since he's had time to just sit down on the grass and let tranquility take over him. The thought of the battle he's about to embark on is just a faraway hum of consciousness and critical thinking, but the lull of the night's quietness has succeeded in keeping them at bay.

He will have to think of other things when his departure is due. He has a few minutes to enjoy tranquility, the crickets, the temporary solitude and the lack of physical restraints weighing him down.

"You there, warrior."

Gladion sometimes wonders why he gets used to silence when there will always be somebody willing to break that calmness into two.

His green eyes flutter open, pinched already in mild disgruntlement, swinging them to his side to find the small girl from the prior day staring into the horizon as well, hands on her hips and posture eerily still. Her eyes are just as blank and big as he remembers them, but if she had said her name, he had not bothered to remember it.

Her clothes are nothing out of the ordinary and are similar to those of a farmer. Gladion assumes she must work in the small farm close to the town; he's seen a few workers headed there with hay. She wears a cap and two large ponytails, a bright orange jumpsuit, and a long purple coat. Gladion assumes she must be cold, even though the temperature certainly doesn't call for something as thick as that,

"You look very serene. Are you here to enjoy the view?"

Why does this girl suddenly have a curiosity about his affairs? He can only assume she's trying to make small chat. "I'm waiting for some people to get here. I'm leaving tonight."

"Phew. That sounds horrendously strenuous," she says with a sigh. He can't tell if it's fake or not, but he agrees with the sentiment nonetheless. "I imagine you will get a heavy salary for this endeavor, correct?"

Gladion's eyebrows twitch, and he looks to the horizon again. "Not really."

The girl's eyes are on him now– he's not looking but he can feel the pressure of her heavy stare like a hammer about to hit him on the throat. "Then, why would a fine man like you be up at this hour? I thought the troops from this empire were not taking their citizens into their arms."

He decides to sit down on the grass. The girl is a good ten feet away from him, but her voice reaches him all the same.

"I'm not particularly interested in their cause. I'm just not a fan of being idle for too long."

Not anymore, at least. At _last_.

There is a pause of a few seconds that makes him believe the conversation is over. He hears her hum to herself and her eyes retreat from his shape, focusing on the night sky again.

"I believe you were making use of a crutch yesterday. Should you not be resting and not straining your muscles any further?"

That girl's nosy behavior is getting on his nerves. What is it to her that he wants to stick to some soldiers and catch some bad guys? His muscles are fine, as well, and he knows that better than anyone else. People who dig their hands into others' business drive him up the tallest walls – refer to example one: Moon; and example two: Hau, but to a lesser extent.

"I'm fine," he says between gritted teeth, twisting the fabric of his pockets between his fingers. "And even if I wasn't, I would still go. I might not be invested in their case, but I wouldn't like fiends and sketchy people getting in the way of my goals, and anyone who aligns with my goals can have my helping hand."

Why did he just say all of that? And why can he feel that little girl _smiling_ at him as silence drags on after his words?

This is exactly why he doesn't like hanging out with strangers as Faba had insisted so much on doing when he was younger: they're unpredictable and annoying. In hindsight, though, his current vexation would have been less problematic if he had actually _attended_ those parties Faba had wanted him to come to.

Admittedly, Moon and Hau had helped him smooth those uneven corners of his behavior out. At least he's not telling that girl to fuck off, much like he had told Moon to when they first met.

"I see. You have quite the rightful behavior, young man, although I would advise you to take it easy. I believe the Captain of this town will not be happy to see a fellow classman injured because of his own stubbornness to carry out his moral agenda."

That jab is what finally makes Gladion turn around because this is not his _moral agenda_ or however she wants to call it, and he can't have that. He would have almost expected her to call him out for being so disinterested, even though he _is_ curious, but she doesn't have the right to know why.

When he sees her, however, she's looking at the gates with narrowed eyes, but then dismisses him with a wave of her hand; or maybe she's bidding him farewell, he doesn't know. "Anyway, I hope you take care of yourself, boy. I have some friends to meet, you see, and I believe yours are coming to fetch you."

Gladion turns to the gates to see if this is true and finds Ilima and his troops to be marching out, eyes scanning the field. When he sees Gladion while the latter gets on his feet, his eyes widen and his smile broadens, waving a greeting hand in his direction.

The blond is also about to say goodbye to the girl, just to be polite, but he finds her to be gone. She's probably slipped away from them in the short time it took him to turn around, but Gladion makes nothing of it.

"Good night, Gladion. I'm delighted to see you here," his nose shifts and moves, and his eyes close in bliss. "Ah, it smells amazing! The restaurant must be making cinnamon buns. Becky sure has her odd timings to get baking."

Gladion takes two whiffs of the air and realizes he's right. There is a lingering scent of cinnamon and cream in the air, oddly warm and soothing to his heart, which had begun to pound inadvertently at the sight of Ilima's troops.

"Well, we can't stand here smelling the air forever, I'm afraid. We need to get going," says Ilima to his troops, and they begin walking. "A close aid has told me there has been some interesting activity in the center of the Lunaria Plains, so we will be headed there. In the meantime, we shall show you a song we chant to encourage ourselves and keep awake– truly, a delight."

And as the troops begin to sing a way too loud and out of tune hymn, Gladion realizes that this trip might not be so worth the trip, and he's sure that all the pain focused on his shoulder has emigrated to his head– but that's fine.

His green eyes stare out to the empty and peaceful fields that expand beyond his eyes, beyond what he could reach, and longs for all that space. It will be one last fight, and after this, he will be free to attend to his own affairs.

And maybe, just maybe, if he finds Moon and Hau, he can take them here to have lunch, too.

And also beat the shit out of Moon for knocking him into a coma.

Maybe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow is that very long backstory important??? I wonder???? Maybe it is???? Who knows I certainly haven't written the story uwu
> 
> Also I love Ilima and I love the fact that Moon knocked Gladion into a coma by the sheer act of being present i LOVE HER
> 
> WE'RE GOING ON AN ADVENTURE WITH ILIMA AND GLADION NOW AND NEXT CHAPTER WE'RE GETTING A BATTLEEEE /VIBRAES ON SEAT, IM SO EXCITED FOR THAT ONE


	3. Style

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion tries to find a rival, sneaks into an illegal combating drug ring and meets with an old friend.

"So, you have come here from so far away? That is truly commendable."

"I had some help. I don't know where they are right now."

A nod. "Friends of yours?"

"I wouldn't go as far as to call them that. They're pretty weird people."

"Ah, that sounds a bit mean."

Gladion doesn't say anything in that regard and the conversation is instantly over.

Ilima's intention to chat has been fruitless thus far, no matter how charming the guy is, much to Gladion's dismay. His first impression of the Captain had been pleasing: a guarded man with plenty of skill, polite manners and a way of embellishing his words that has his troops eating from his hand.

He speaks with tilted compliments and crooked smiles, something he tries to bait Gladion with, but he fails. Gladion is rather perceptive, much more than he lets on, and he can't be bought into following orders that easily. Granted, Ilima hasn't bossed him around yet – if what he does with his troops can be called proper _ordering_ to start with – but Gladion has no doubt he might slip up if he doesn't impose himself.

One good thing that beats all of his past companions out of the water is that the Aedus troops carry big tents with them, and they are rather efficient when it comes to setting them up. The Lunaria Plains are flat and mostly deserted folk-wise, so all they have to do is toss a rock anywhere to decide where to set camp. It's that simple.

Gladion likes simplicity. This setup is certainly not elegant, but it serves its purpose right away.

He could have done without the tent, as it doesn't really help the heat outside, but he's thankful for the extra layer of protection that the walls offer him.

Ilima hasn't taken many of his troops to this mission in particular, arguing that most of them had gotten hurt during the fiend raid the prior day. "A lot of them are resting in bed. I would say you have more resilience to these battles than they do, which is spectacular on its own."

And these are the sort of tilted compliments that are starting to irk him. He throws them around with meant intention, much like a hunter throws meat for its prey– though Ilima has little to compare to a predator. He's constantly showering him with praise he both doesn't believe he deserves – and that means a lot coming from somebody a proud as him – and putting him above his troops; a tactic that Faba had several times addressed as manipulation.

Gladion has contemplated the possibility that Ilima is flirting with him, but it's highly unlikely considering that they just met. Though, maybe that's a thing that people do, flirting before properly knowing each other. Gladion knows little to nothing about relationships, let alone romance.

The troops around them set up the tents, three of them for seven men, which means plenty of space to sleep. Ilima helps out setting them up just as Gladion hammers some nails to help the tents stay in place. He had been told that there was little to no wind in the plains, but he had insisted on playing it safe.

Ilima regards him with an intrigued smile. "My, your concern for safety is terribly fascinating. Never thought I would encounter a warrior as concerned for a tent as you are."

Gladion gets on his feet and leaves the hammer on a soldier's hands, then folds his arms. "I'm not used to sleeping in a safe structure. I'm more of a 'sleep and guard' kind of guy."

"Unsurprising as it is, I'm still curious. Very few people like you make it as far as you have, you see," he says, smiling and nodding to himself– and it is reasonable to believe Ilima is just being nice, but he comes across as an utter sycophant. "It would be interesting to spar with you sometime. I didn't get to see your technique as well as I would have liked back in Dawn Square Market."

The call for a challenge visibly excites Gladion. Oftentimes does he find himself seeking a proper rival to battle with as an equal, and thus far, he had not had the opportunity to find one. He's been so immersed with goals and getting from one place to another that the thought of training with an actual _person_ never crossed his mind.

Finding a feat equal would be his next task. He has a few people in mind that could fill in that space, and Ilima seems eager to make it to that list. "You want to spar? Right now?"

"A Captain of my caliber cannot back down from a challenge as enticing as this. I haven't had the chance to train in a while, and you will serve as the perfect rival to level myself against." Ilima is grabbing the golden handle of his sword and unsheathing it, flashing it out of its scabbard swiftly with a smirk. "What do you say?"

"I'm not known for rejecting a challenge, either," Gladion replies, quickly unsheathing his own blade. Ilima's is visibly more elegant than his, objectively prettier, but that blade is in no way superior to his. "I have to say, though, that I'm not a gentleman. I will go all out if we fight seriously."

"Not a problem for me. You should not judge people by their looks, friend." Ilima gets on his guard, one foot behind the other, and Gladion imitates him. "You shall lo and behold the might of Captain Ilima!"

And that's how the fight begins. They are not on a proper fighting ground, Gladion knows, but the ample space around them would make up for that. The grass around them cushions their steps as they rush towards one another, blades clashing together immediately, only for Ilima to push him off and pursue him– but Gladion is much quicker on his reflexes and tries to strike again, just as relentless as his rival.

Where Ilima is skilled and probably an example of mastery in his field, Gladion finds a few weaknesses that reveal his character in ways very few people would consider important. While Ilima meets the standard for lethality and speed, Moon beats that to the ground. Hau, as well, has much more powerful spells, but is equally as fast– yet, Ilima is the rightful Captain of the Guard, and an authority in Dawn Square Market.

He had been right when he told Hau not to compare himself to others that night.

And while he's drawing constant comparisons between him and Ilima for strategic purposes, he's very aware that he's superior to him. His pride swells in his stomach, and as he successfully strikes where Ilima would inevitably defend himself from, Gladion pushes him off his balance and the Captain falls, but he gets up again.

People murmur around them. Despite the blood pumping in his ears, he can hear them very well. "Is that guy overpowering the Captain? What has the world come to?"

"To think they pay me so much to see stuff like this. The world must be ending."

They _really_ must hold their Captain to a very high standard. Ilima must have heard those comments too because when he strikes again, it's with a line of precision that had not been there before, but Gladion is quick to deflect it. Ilima's speed picks up, however, and Gladion his attacks grow frantic and, suddenly, he's no longer playing around.

If it weren't for the fact that he's purposefully missing to not hurt him, Gladion would call him a rightful rival, but the hesitation to hurt him pisses him off– he's tired of being underestimated.

Another strike, which he dodges with a leap to the side. He's tired of not being taken seriously.

He wants somebody to look at him in the eye and see the intent of killing in their eyes.

Just as he's thinking about this and admittedly too focused on his frustration to pay enough attention, Ilima strikes from a side and forces him to crouch and eventually fall, rendering him momentarily useless.

And then, before Ilima can call his victory, Gladion's instinct kicks in, and he uses one of his legs to sweep Ilima off his balance and his bare fist to kick the blade off Ilima's hand, and then grab it while Ilima falls and Gladion rises, holding both swords in his hands as Ilima sits at his feet, blinking very rapidly.

Gladion himself is stunned. This fighting style is not his, but rather something he's seen before in two companions he used to fight alongside with.

Everyone around him is shocked into silence, but the blond is quick to swallow his impulse to brag about it and chooses to be stern, stabbing the ground with Ilima's blade. "Don't come at me with a half-assed intent to fight. When I said I go all-out, I meant it. Don't play with me like this, I'm not a kid."

Faba had treated him like so for enough time. He has the right to be pissed now, even if it's not the proper time to express it. He knows his frustration comes from within rather than from the outside, but his frown prevails and as he sheathes his sword, he stares at Ilima in search of an explanation.

Ilima, however, is sitting upright and staring at him kindly, smiling to himself. "You won fair and square. I really thought I had you there. Your skill is as admirable as I had anticipated," and even more surprisingly, he turns to his peers and folds an arm under his bent one, a hand under his chin. "Everyone, you must learn from what you just saw. We can't win every time, but we have to continue training so this does not happen again. Take this as a dose of humbleness we all should take more often."

And that makes the trick, for everyone turns from surprise to placid agreement and hopeful chatter. Ilima might not make for the best rival, but in the way his people cheer and nod, Gladion knows he makes for a great Captain, that's for sure. After all, not everything is about battling.

Said Captain turns in Gladion's direction. "I would love to battle you again sometime soon when we are done with this mission. I believe our spy will reach our little camping tomorrow in the afternoon, so we might have another opportunity sooner than I had expected."

The blond nods, one hand on his hip as he ponders the offer. Albeit Ilima had not been as excellent as expected, he wouldn't mind the extra training. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea."

"Good! It's settled, then." Ilima stretches his arms upward and bids him farewell with his chin. "Please, get plenty of sleep tonight. Tomorrow might be terribly arduous, and we would not want anybody to be tired."

Why does everyone talk like they have swallowed an entire dictionary and attended an elite school in this place and why does he feel like he won't be able to stand it? His own speech is educated and refined, but he for sure doesn't talk like this… does he? He hopes not.

It could also be that Ilima's insistence on his well-being is rubbing off on him badly, too, but that's a topic for another day. Gladion just deems it common leader practice to be that way and bids him goodnight with a nod just as curt as his had been.

Everyone settles for the night with pillows, no blankets. It's fairly hot outside and there's no need for such cover. Gladion's everyday clothes are designed to withstand warm temperatures, but not to sleep somewhere with this abhorrent heat. Nights in the Kandrus Dominion had always been colder, so he's not used to this occurrence.

He, nonetheless, takes out his ridiculous pink rhinestone blanket – which is gaining a fair amount of wrinkles – and pulls it over him despite the heat like it's second nature. It brings a certain comfort that he doesn't know he needs, like a laugh in the silence that now chases him, a familiar presence.

It fills in the gaps.

* * *

"Ah, Gladion, you arrived right when we needed you."

Gladion has just come back from taking a bath in a nearby river when he stumbles with Ilima and his spy. Their appearances are starkly different, one dressed in the nearly glamorous attire of the Empire and the other clad in humble rags and his hands full of bruises, sitting on a stump of a chopped tree. Gladion guesses that he's the spy just by that, not to mention how tired this person looks.

His brain catches up with the rest of Ilima's sentence when he looks up at him. "Need me?"

"Mhm," he hums, a hand under his chin as he regards the spy with a smile. "I have somewhere to go. My troops have a sniff of where the dealership could be, so we are headed there. Considering how sore your shoulder is, I thought it would be fitting for us to investigate first, so you have time to recover."

Gladion is complacent with those plans and nods in response, but he doesn't understand what he could mean by all this. "And what do I have to do with any of this?"

"Well, our spy has plenty of information for us. I have jotted down most of what he told me, hence why we are headed out today– but he's also stated that he has more information that I, unfortunately, don't have the time to listen to."

The swordsman regards the spy with keen indifference, folding his arms. "And I guess you want me to stay and reel all of that out of him, right?"

"As clever as always," smiles Ilima, causing Gladion to roll his eyes. "You will only have to listen to him and write things down, and then he will leave the camping." His hand on the man's shoulder, Ilima gives it a friendly shake. "You could use some time to visit your wife, friend."

The spy, however, pays no mind to Ilima's comment and looks at Gladion warily, expression pinched in clear suspicion. "Who is this lad? He ain't familiar to me at all."

"His name is Gladion, and he's a very skilled swordsman, just like me. He's here to help us catch those drug dealers from the Blackring, so you have to be nice to him."

The man's eyes widen progressively as Ilima speaks. Gladion shrugs nonchalantly, paying no mind to Ilima's compliments. After all, he's not that much of an equal in terms of fighting, so his compliments, while flattering, don't have the same effect as a proper master Captain's words would.

The spy nods his head exactly twice, then Ilima withdraws his hand and looks at Gladion kindly. "We will be going to the caves up those hills," Ilima points to a rocky path behind his back across a small stream, which trails between trees and gets lost in the distance. "If you need anything, we will be down the path. There are a few caves there, which I had thought were being used for exploration but our friend here told us that might not be the case."

"What… is his job, exactly?"

"Infiltrating the Blackring and blending in, simply put," Ilima explains, his head turning in the spy's direction a tad too slow to Gladion's liking. "But, apparently, he's only been able to sneak out now to tell us, because the best time to attack is now, it seems. How wonderful, right?"

Ilima's wording is too tense for Gladion to buy that last comment, and the tightening of the Captain's fists does not help his case either. If the spy notices this, his expression shows no distinction.

The Captain points to one of the big tents at the camping. "Anyway, you two can stay there and carry things out without anyone disturbing you. I will have two of my men keeping guard on the entrance, just in case some silly stray ambusher wants to meddle with business."

And that seems to be the end of it, with the spy nodding and heading into the aforementioned is about to brush past Gladion when he stops and looks at the blond from the corner of his eye, briefly stern.

"Don't hesitate to use any means necessary to get the information we might need. I trust you to do what's right." What a great way to put more unnecessary pressure on his unknowing shoulders, but he's expected to handle it just fine, as Ilima's smile reveals. "Good luck! I will be expectant of any news."

And that's how it ends, the Captain leaving and Gladion looking at the tent in exasperation. While he knows he has a way with words and probably a spike of intellect within him that Ilima _might_ have seen, he's in no way ready for a job as important as this. Nonetheless, Ilima had left him here to take care of it.

He's either clueless, too trusting, or just bad at his job– or maybe a mix of all of those.

When Gladion goes past the curtain doors, he finds the spy to be sitting on a stool. All sleeping bags have been pushed to a corner of the room and a quaint turned off oil lamp hangs from a thread that crosses the ceiling. A small stool waits for him, pushed under a small desk, more resembling of a nightstand than an actual working desk.

The spy doesn't raise his eyes to the swordsman as he sits down. It's no secret that Gladion loathes talking to people, more so with strangers like these. He knows nothing about this person– what is he supposed to ask, anyway?

Luckily for him, the man speaks first, sighing. "It's a shame a young guy like you got dragged into this shit. No clue what the Captain was thinkin', hiring someone like you."

Gladion would have acted offended if he didn't know better. He clears his throat and sits on the stool, crossing one leg over another. "I came here of my own volition. I will admit that this situation wasn't been in my plans, so we should get this over with first."

"Right, so I guess I'll just start talking?"

"Whenever you're ready. I don't know how you guys work around these issues, so…"

The spy then presses a hand on the flat front of his throat, letting out a small cough. Gladion thinks he might ask for water, but he doesn't. "I've been interned in that place for… two months or so? They were hellbent on me stayin' around for a while. They said I was a good fighter." Gladion nods in understanding, but he doesn't write anything down. "Aren'tcha gonna write any of that?"

"I have a pretty good memory. Continue."

"They are in those caves across the river, and past that lil' forest. It's barely a forest but what do I know? It's just trees." The spy scratches the back of his neck and begins to fumble for his words, making Gladion arch an eyebrow, invisible under his fringe. "Anyway, they got an illegal fightin' ring in there, and they got some good shit in there, too."

Gladion's expression turns sour at the man's nonchalance, but says nothing about that either. "Do you mean drugs?"

"Yeah. The Blackring got a _ton_ of those. I bet they get 'em from those dudes with the cloaks– they came one day and everyone just got a lot stronger somehow, but they ended up bedridden the next day. The boss sure knows how that shit works."

 _The boss_? "Do they use those substances during battles, too?"

"Yeah, but the whole thing's rigged. It's stupid. You're just gonna lose your cash on the most ridiculous battles ever. What's the damn point of battling a chicken if that chicken won't stop pecking on your shins and it can walk faster than ya'? It's goddamn dumb." His adamant statement about that chicken makes Gladion think he must be speaking from personal experience. He writes that down. "Anyway, the boss won't have any problem taking care of 'em. Everything will go fine."

Gladion's eyes narrow for a short second. He leans back in his chair, oddly tense at the way the man speaks. He nods complacently, and his eyebrows sink lightly as he speaks careful words. "Of course. Your boss is very skilled. And I'm sure his henchmen will carry out the job they are assigned to."

"Yeah. The Blackring is secretive as hell, though. As long as Captain Ilima and his troops get a pass from one of the guys, though, they will be fine." It seems like the spy is about to say something else, but he's suddenly stretching his arm forward. "Hey, could ya' give me some bandages? We can talk while I put 'em on. The boss won't want me all bruised"

A glint of recognition flashes in Gladion's eyes as the coin drops very carefully on his shoulder, but he nods as if nothing is wrong. "No need. I will patch it up myself. I have some expertise in that field."

As Gladion turns to the side of his desk, where a first aid kit is kept, the spy is reaching behind him. "Thank you so much, fellow compatriot." He takes out a small dagger, and silently gets up from his chair before he's looming behind him, smirking, "I'm sure we can talk things–"

But before he can land a single blow on Gladion, the swordsman has swiftly taken out his Silvally and kicked the spy to the ground with the non-cutting edge of his sword, all in a blur that ends with the spy– _bandit_ on the ground, gasping as Gladion's sword glints right before his eyes.

Outside, the guards are alerted by the sudden thud within the tent, jumping out of their guarding positions.

"You call yourself a spy, but you're as stealthy as a shark in a lake," Gladion grunts, his left hand shaking in fury at the thought of this guy fooling so many people– but luckily, not _him_. "Did you think you could get away?"

"What the– _how_?" shrieks the bandit below. His squirming intensifies as Gladion turns the sharp edge in the direction of the enemy's eye.

A snarl. "I have a good hand at identifying scoundrels like you." His sword inches closer, the tip grazing the ground. He curls his left hand into a fist. "And I haven't heard anybody from Ilima's guard call him _boss_. Pirates like you have no respect for your superiors, do you?" The bandit tries to speak again, but Gladion interrupts him. "Where have you sent the Aedus troops? You work for the Blackring, don't you?"

At this, the guy on the ground nods. "They offered me more money, and a guy has his needs! I did send them in the correct direction, though. I'm a legal dude!"

The guards that used to stand outside hurry into the tent, now equipped with weapons, and at the sight before them, they point them at the man on the ground. "What's going on here?"

"He's a double spy," grunts Gladion, placing the sharp end of his blade on the bandit's neck. "Arrest him. And help me immobilize him."

The guards comply immediately, and much to Gladion's surprise, he doesn't wiggle for freedom or say anything against it. Gladion takes a second to memorize all he's said that he never wrote down, looking at him as the guards grab his arms and sit him upright on the stool.

"Where did you send Captain Ilima and the rest?"

"I'll only speak if your dudes stop squeezing my arms this hard." To emphasize his point, he lets his knife drop to the ground, and one of the guards kicks it away. "Pinky promise."

That childish wording makes the blond grit his teeth, combing his fingers through his uneven bangs in distress. "They don't work under my orders, but fine. Let go of him, but stay close." Deeming him able to know what to do, the two guards let go of him, and the spy twists his arms with a blown sigh. "I won't ask again: where did you send them?"

"If my schedule is correct, they should be headed to a little ambush, but I doubt they'll get hurt. I hope they don't make much noise, though, because some people there ain't gonna be happy about some Aedus men sneaking into their lair." Despite the danger around him, the spy dares to smirk as Gladion's expression contorts into visible anger. "Isn't it wonderful?"

It's amazing how he's found himself in trouble not even a day after parting from safety. Gladion finds his luck terrible– cursed, even, because he doesn't have time to deal with double spies and while he doesn't want to head to that lair and kick some ass, the guy's attitude is really tempting him to.

He has other stuff to do – finding his family, maybe finding his teammates too – but he's got a spunk of justice within him.

So much so that Gladion turns to the guards with a frowned nod. "Arrest this guy and imprison him until the Captain chooses what to do. I will head out and explore."

"Wait a minute!" Gladion is already done with whatever prerequisites this scumbag has. "I said where the Blackring bandits are hiding! Why am I being imprisoned?"

"I don't know the rules of this land, but I don't think sending your Captain to a possible death is worth awarding you a medal either, wouldn't you say?" Gladion takes a certain pleasure in the wash of white that pales the bandit's skin, but he dismisses him quickly, shaking his hand. "I will go find the Captain. Watch over him while I'm gone."

Gladion takes off immediately. He remembers what should be Ilima's whereabouts, and crosses the bridge over the river in a second, then takes to the small passage through a section of trees. Gladion is unsure of what he will see when he gets there, but if what the soy had said was correct, he's presumably headed to a big messy clusterfuck.

Which is fine with him. He had not survived the raid to the Blackring for no reason– this won't kill him either. But he's not sure if the rest will live to tell the tale.

Gladion reaches the summit of the hill and sees the caves immediately. The Lunaria Plains are all greenery and grass, some windmills scattered across, yet at times, some caves covered by grass will show up, as Ilima had explained on their way to the camping site. Gladion can see the mouth of a single cave, alone in the field, relatively close to him.

As he stares down at his path, the wind plays with his hair and sprays light into his concealed eye. Nodding to himself, taking in the crisp fresh temperature of the sinking sun, Gladion sprints down the hill and turns to his left.

His arrival to the cave is met with no resistance from the Blackring, mostly because all the guards that used to stand there are now lying face-first on the grass. He can barely make out their frames buried between the tall blades of grass, but he can see the blood staining the green, creating a very visible contrast.

However, his entrance into the cave has guards rushing to the exterior. About five people are standing before him, weapons raised and ready to attack. "You! Who are you?"

Still intoxicated by the rush of adrenaline from all prior circumstances, Gladion's first instinct is to grab the handle of his sword and be quick about it– but then, a much better idea appears in his mind, and he raises his hands in surrender. "Sorry. I'm just looking for that– um, fighting ring I have heard about. I'm trying to get stronger. I thought this would be a good place to start."

His deadpan is perfectly leveled and some bandits fall for the bait, but others don't, weapons still aimed at him – a crossbow, a sword, and a single dagger. "A bunch of Aedus dogs came here earlier and are lookin' for trouble! Who says you ain't workin' for 'em, eh?"

"I'm not wearing a uniform. Uniforms like those are boring to me, and I'm not exactly seeking any military affiliation either." His act works because another lowers his weapon, and then another. "I do need the money, though. I heard you can win lots of that here, right?"

Their hostility turns into an almost kind smirk, except that pirates can't be kind in his mind, so it comes across as completely fake.

"Oh, _buddy_ , you wanna win some cash? Then you're at the right place." One of the buccaneers takes a step in his direction, sheathing his sword. "We'll show ya' around! I bet the boss will be–"

Then, _blood_ , an amount so outrageous Gladion cannot see any other color for two good seconds, a body falling to the floor with an arrow to the neck, then another being pierced by a sword that Gladion has seen before– the body falls, and it appears that it had been Ilima's sword getting the job done, its wielder smiling at him.

"My, it's a pleasure to see you again, friend. Though, I would say it's a bit too early. Were you trying to befriend those pirates?"

Ilima speaks with no suspicion, but a trace of joking. The other shrugs and shoves his hands into his pockets. "Not really. I was trying to sneak in and find all of you." The Captain is about to make a question – _why are you here so soon?_ – that Gladion responds to beforehand. "Your spy was a double agent. He told me you were headed to a trap."

His words cause a moment of thought in Ilima before he's chuckling, watching Gladion step towards him. "Oh, we got rid of their measly trap very easily. You should not have worried about our wellbeing."

"...I wasn't really worried," he replies without an ounce of dishonesty.

"Mhm. Whatever you say," Ilima says back teasingly, which inflicts a pang of irritation in Gladion's gut that makes him start walking away hastily, rushing to mind his own business again. "What are you doing here, then?"

"I came to tell you the news," Gladion states, stopping in his tracks as a slope descends before him, and turns to Ilima, eyebrows sunken. "I was also curious about this place. I thought you would have taken care of things already."

Ilima's eyes lighten up as if he knows something that Gladion doesn't. "Ah, how serendipitous of you to be here, indeed. We were about to leave this place and seek your help with this issue. It appears to be that we cannot advance any further with this matter."

Gladion stares at Ilima intently, as if asking him to elaborate, eyes wide and his stare intent. The Captain doesn't hesitate to continue.

"The battleground for this competition is heavily guarded, so it would not be wise for a small number of people like us to barge in unannounced. We are skilled, but we heard noises in the crowd that lead me to believe that they are… rather _rebellious_ , if you will." His face shows dismay, but when his eyes lift to Gladion's, there is encouragement filling the cracks. "We are not allowed to partake in the competition, or to sign up as a group, so I realized that your outstanding skills might call the attention of the boss, and we could lure him out to the battlefield that way."

Gladion's expression turns pensive as he analyzes the plan thoroughly. Granted, he's skilled, but jumping into a battlefield without any prior knowledge will undoubtedly play against him. "How will I do any better than you? And how am I supposed to lure out the boss of the gang?"

"Well, I'm not allowed in because of my military affiliations. The Blackring fears me ruffling the feathers of the crowd, you see. It's absurd, but I won't go against their rules." Ilima's face shows a contrary feeling, however, pinched in a childish pout. "However, not only are you devoid of any ties, but you are also stronger than me– I have no problem admitting that much, especially in a situation as problematic as this one."

"I guess you're right," concedes Gladion. "So I just have to go in and make some noise?"

Ilima's smile turns into a devious smile, one that crinkles the corners of his eyes and shows his teeth. "I am sure you have anger issues. All of us do, even me. You can release all that ire on that battlefield. Surely that little discussion with that double agent has left you tense, right?"

That tone. That smile. A twinkle of knowing behind Ilima's eyes. He's not sure what gives the truth away, but perhaps it would have been better if Gladion hadn't looked into his eyes that precise moment. "You knew about it, didn't you?"

"You could say I did. But, it would not be nice for a Captain to go against his employees, wouldn't you say?" Not only is Ilima one hell of a sweet talker – he's also a pinch cunning. "But that's no longer an issue."

"It… actually is."

"I don't think so. All we have to focus on now is the battle ahead," replies Ilima, dismissing the topic in a way very resembling of Moon's– it leaves the same bitter aftertaste in his mouth as her grins and jokes did.

Ilima has walked to him, and he shows him his hand to reveal a single black token, like a coin made of resin. "I took this from one of the guards outside. Put it to good use, will you? And try not to strain that shoulder of yours."

Gladion would have expected them to stay with him until the place had been cleared, but Ilima and his troops are departing, much to his irritation. "Hold up, where are you going?"

Ilima turns from the mouth of the cave to give him another charming smile. Gladion can't find its appeal in a situation as absurdly anger-inducing as this. "We will head to Dawn Square Market to write a paper about the issue. Come visit my office when this problem has been taken care of, and take care!"

And that's how they manage to shove all of the mission's weight on Gladion's sore shoulders, waving at him as they walk into the sunset without a care in the world. If they work like this often, he doesn't know, but he hopes that's not the case. Such airy fashion would not make for a military as successful as he's heard the Aedus Empire to be.

Gladion turns the other way, facing the path down the cave. It's all blue and humid, and he can hear droplets of water puddling somewhere to his right as he takes to the slope down the path. The faint echo of chanting and chaos bounces all over the cave, but he begs his mind to not make an image too exaggerated about what he's about to face.

He's not a friend of improvised face-offs, and this one ticks all the boxes for him to mess it up.

Lights come to view, and then, two gates with a table between them, both leading to the battleground. The bandit perched behind said table perks up at the sight of Gladion approaching him. "What's up, kid? Did you get lost?"

All Gladion has to do to turn that skepticism upside down is take out a little of his Silvally to show him his blade and toss the token in the bandit's direction. He gasps at the view of the item. "I got one of these. I guess I'm allowed in now, right? I'm _not_ a kid."

A beat of silence. "You'll get killed and skinned in the first round. Nobody has made it that far."

To say he doesn't know of the dangers would be a big fat lie, but he still puts up a stern front, his scowling failing to disappear. "I would like to see them try."

That's all that it takes for the man to nod hastily and start rolling a lever backward, making both gates open upwards, revealing the battleground beyond it. It might have been Gladion's admittedly sour mood at having to go out of his way to finish a mission _that isn't even his own why did he even think this would be a good idea–_

Ahem.

Gladion gathers all his irritation and wills it to become the violence Ilima had insinuated at. While not easy to anger by nature, Gladion is aware that he's very prone to irritation when things don't go his way; namely, when he's burdened with things he doesn't particularly care about or when people go out of their way to create trouble and make things more difficult than they should be.

Ilima's actions matching with said causes isn't a casualty; his left hand is trembling under his skewed attention, too focused on the roaring people that welcome him into the battlefield.

The crowd is wild and relatively small. His green eyes scan it casually: he sees people of all species, most of them unknown to him. Whatever the race, all of them share one unique characteristic: they are screaming for his blood to be shed.

Why is it that the challenge and pressure make his heart giddy, almost? The prospect of a good fight is never unwelcome, and the thrill that goes down his spine is certainly not unpleasant.

A voice comes from behind and above him, unexplainably loud. "Ladies and gentlemen, a new battler has joined us today! Place yer bids on yer baskets and let's see whose blood comes out first! We've got a very special guest today so let's make sure we give 'im a show!"

His breath hitches in recognition, for that must be the guy Ilima had been seeking today– but before he can give that theory a thought, a gate at the end of the battleground raises and threatening thumps echo from the darkness, urging Gladion to unsheathe his sword and stand at guard, ready for whatever might come his way.

He is brought to wide eyes and a shaky smirk when he sees a familiar alligator-like creature come out, the same species he had encountered with his peers at the Blackring Outpost– and he would dare say it might be the same exact one, for it's full of bruises and scars that have not healed properly.

Gladion draws the dreaded conclusion that many people have fought it, but as the creature stands, it's likely that the people who fought it no longer live.

"I bet this guy will be great food for our little pet!" The crowd laughs, then cheers, screaming in favor of the sharp-toothed monster. "Let the battle begin, then!"

With the roaring of the crowd, the monster howls and begins to jog in his direction, bloodlust in its eyes as drool falls down its jaw, yet Gladion is quick to act. Speeding in its direction, he aims his sword at the creature's chest, but as its tail sweeps in his direction, Gladion has to jump and skid to a side.

Right. He's fought this kind before. It should not be as bad as it was last time– after all, Plumeria of the Deep is not there to clip their wings now.

Gladion successfully lands a clean hit on the creature's tail, making it screech and try to leap his way to use its claws on Gladion, but the warrior had already leaped out of its way and to its side, striking on its side again, stirring its anger even more. The people around him chant for the creature to attack him, but he's unfazed by the comments; his target is the alligator, not the crowd.

His strategy for this had been simple: make the alligator bleed to death and just run and dodge until it gets tired. In his mind, that ensures the best of outcomes and he would leave the battle unscathed.

"Fuck."

What he had _not_ expected, however, was that he would get tired too. His constant tug-o'-war with the creature, running away and occasional attacking is wearing his energies thin– so much so, that at some point in the battle, he fails to jump out of the way of that tail and he falls to the floor.

Everyone cheers. He scrambles for his sword as the alligator inches closer.

Then, an explosion ripples from behind him and towards the creature, so strong Gladion is sure he hears the walls shake beyond the sudden panic in the public and the muffled noises after the detonation.

A familiar chuckle comes from behind him, causing his eyes to widen. His eyes widen as the alligator falls to the floor, wheezing.

"Ka- _boom_! That was one mister explosion! I ain't gonna be holdin' back anymore, dude, that's for sure!"

Standing by Gladion's side, holding his staff high and proud with a blinding grin, Hau stands, blissfully ignorant of the people running away for their lives after the sudden attack.

Gladion had thought of many ways – good and bad – that this mission would end.

Hau appearing with a grin bigger than his own head had not been one of them, aiming his staff at the creature as it begins to stand again.

"Howzit going, Gladbag? This looks like heaps of fun! Mind if I join your lil' party for a while?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE BOYS ARE BACK  
> THE BOYS ARE BACK  
> THE BOYS ARE BACK  
> THE BOYS ARE BA-
> 
> Ilima: ok I'll let you handle this clearly important mission related to a drug-trafficking ring with pirates that have kicked your ass. Have a good day  
> Gladion: why  
> Ilima: bye
> 
> I didn't like this chapter's writing but I liked Ilima and Gladion getting into a sword fight because Gladion is apparently looking for a rival HMMMMMMMmmMMMMMM


	4. Cracks and Gaps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion and Hau make it back to Ilima's office, prompting a surprise meeting that leaves Gladion on the floor.

It takes Gladion two whole seconds to recover, both of them all too long and silent for his liking. Hau stares at the creature, then turns to him with wide blinking eyes, but it's only when he crosses his arms behind his head that the shock finally washes itself off his body.

"What are _you_ doing here!? How did you even get here?" Gladion's eyes dart all over the progressively empty place. "You made everyone run away!"

His questions are blatantly ignored. "Dude, I missed ya' too! It's been too long!"

"That was _not_ my point!" Gladion exclaims, raising one fist in the air. Not only did the spy have to be a double agent; not only did Ilima have to leave _everything_ in his hands; not only did the alligator have to possess a higher energy than his; not only did Hau have to appear, but said last companion had to be stupidly teasing in the worst of times.

Hau turns from Gladion and looks at the beast. "Ain't this the same guy we fought at the Blackring Outpost?" His eyes widen momentarily, and then, he rubs the back of his neck. "Oh, yeah! We gotta talk about that! Dude, could things have gone any worse?"

"That's a good question, but this is not the right time for that," Gladion laments, not wishing to relive that memory just yet– not when they have a big foe in front of them which is _seething_ with revenge. "We can talk about that later."

"Right!" Hau readies his staff, pointing it at the monster. "I'll try to immobilize it, ya' go do your thing. Let's make some fried chicken!"

With that, Hau slams his staff on the ground and from underneath the beast come chains of ice, knocking the creature down for a brief time where Gladion can leap on top of it and stab it through the chest, drawing blood out of it. Gladion can hear the grimace in Hau's scream, telling him to duck, so he does as asked and leaps off.

Hau hits the creature with a large arrow of flames. The scorching weaponized arrow drives the alligator to scream and thrash, throwing itself to the floor to consume the flames, but all it gets in response is another stab in the back from the swordmaster.

Wiggling his sword out of the constricted muscles, Gladion leaps off and close to where Hau is standing. "It's getting weak, but we need to get rid of it. I don't want it to chase after us."

Hau nods as the creature stands up once more– but this time, it's in a panting heap. The sorcerer takes a step forward and plants the tip of his staff on the ground. "I might've enough chi for another big bad explosion! But you better hold onto somethin', I ain't gonna go soft!"

His words startle Gladion, who looks around him and at the very frail structures that might be standing straight by a silver of sheer luck. "Wait, that might be too–"

But it's too late. Gladion barely registers everything unfolding as it happens before him, only catching the gleam of the speck of tattoo on Hau's arm. Hau yelps and grins in excitement as an explosion ripples out of his staff and hits right on the ground underneath the alligator, cracking the cobblestone field.

Gladion almost considers it a success, watching the alligator not get up again– but he sees Hau's expression then, a grimace of discomfort as he looks up, that expression only growing deeper.

And then, the worst noise imaginable comes out of his mouth. "Oh-oh."

Gladion can pinpoint those words as the start of the following events: the ceiling of the cave begins to cave in under the pressure of the explosion's waves, crumbling to dust first – which seems fairly harmless – but then condensing into big chunks and boulders landing on the floor before them – which, now, is much more worrying.

Hau and Gladion share a look: the latter annoyed out of his mind, gripping the handle of his sword so tight it might as well break into twain; and the other just gulps, no more words said as he dashes out of the room while the exit is still standing.

Gladion unavoidably chases after him, eyebrows pinched to the point his eyes are only slits of disdain. "I told you to wait! Didn't you feel the room literally _shake_ after you made that dumb flashy entrance?"

"I thought the cave would last a bit longer!" They speed past the gates and take to the slope, out of the cave that is giving in under them, the ground shaking with the pieces that fall off the top parts of the lair. If there is anybody left behind, Gladion doesn't know, nor does he have the time to spare them a thought. "It ain't my fault this cave's weak! Gimme a break, Gladbag!"

" _That's not my name_!"

The slope up to the exit had proven to be a challenge to overcome, and as they see the light of day – or what's left of it because the sun has already sunken, but upon seeing the last streams of sunlight, Gladion and Hau jump into the plush grass, pebbles rolling to their shoes.

It is by a mere second that they make it out, but that's not new to Gladion, always surviving, but just _barely_.

They bask in the sudden silence. Gladion sighs out, more defeated than tranquil. Hau lets out a nervous laugh. "Guess we made it out?"

Just barely.

Arceus give him patience.

* * *

Hau, Gladion decides as he walks alongside him across Lunaria Plains, had come back too quickly and too suddenly. He's not an exactly unwelcome guest, after all, he's partly used to his shenanigans and it's marginally better to have that than being lonely, he supposes. But just by a slim margin.

If anything, he guesses it's better because things aren't that silent anymore, and that's always nice. Well, sometimes. He doesn't particularly wish to engage in conversation right now as he rests his mind from today's events, but Hau does a spectacular job when it comes to ignoring his resting bitchface.

Hau and Gladion dedicate their walk to Dawn Square Market to catch up. Hau walks ahead of him, looking at his surroundings with wonder in his eyes, sometimes wandering off the beaten track in his astonishment, only to come back later to his side. His feet drag across the grass, creating an absent-minded pace that fills in the silence underneath the layer of crickets singing in the distance.

"So, yeah. Like, when I very, _very_ accidentally blew up the watchtower," Gladion groans in a low voice, "I sorta landed safely, but some pirates were chasing after me so I had to hide somewhere! And I saw this super pretty ship and I thought Moon might've been in there– but oopsie, she was _not_!"

Yeah, of course it wasn't. Sadly, Moon had probably been too busy fangirling over her stolen ship to worry about Hau's whereabouts– or perhaps she _had_ worried, but the ship had taken priority over that.

"I later saw that there were guys with the Aedus shields and stuff, so I kinda squatted in a tiny room and waited for it to dock." Hau stops walking – more like rushing, as he is far ahead of Gladion – and turns around to grin at his companion. "Man, I had _no_ idea you were in there with me– the world's so small, right?"

Right. _Too_ small. He never knew Hau had been traveling in the same damn ship with him. Thinking back, though, he had been in a teensy tiny coma of an entire month to notice Hau's presence in the vessel, so it's not his fault either; besides, Hau seems safe and very healthy, so he shouldn't have spared a single second of his time wondering if he was alright.

His companions are very reliable people. Of _course_ they would be fine. Just because he got caught up in the catastrophic turn of events doesn't mean the rest had screwed up, too.

"Speaking of that, if you arrived at the same shore as I did, where have you been all this time? Because I didn't see you anywhere."

"Oh right! That's a very funny story!" Judging by Hau's widening grin, it will for sure not be Gladion's type of fun. "So like, when I got off the boat, I was _starving_. And tired. I'm pretty sure I was low on sugar or something because I think I fainted on the spot, but I woke up in some sort of farm and they fed me _tons_ of candy! It was the best!"

Gladion has heard of a farm that lies close to the town. It produces most of the food for Dawn Square Market, mostly bread and eggs, as the waiter from that restaurant had kindly informed him just a couple of days ago. The fact that Hau had been so close to him and he never noticed it either is beyond him.

Hau is right: the world is _very_ small. He takes Gladion's silence as a cue to continue. "The thing is, when I woke up, they also gave me this uniform and a hat– they thought I was a farmer! I told them I was a sorcerer but a very nice lady told me that 'a kid with my cheeks couldn't be a fighter'" his interpretation of the lady's voice is by far the funniest detail in his story, Gladion decides with a humorless chuckle, "and nobody listened to me! I have been workin' there all this time, but I went out with the Aedus troops once in a while."

Gladion's eyebrows knit together. "You were working with them?"

"Not… exactly," he confesses with a sheepish giggle, breathy as he hops forward and begins to walk again. His pace is more about bursts of speed and then stopping, whereas Gladion advances more smoothly. "I wasn't allowed out of the farm– like, never, so I sorta sneaked out and followed 'em around. Captain Ilima looks like one tough cookie, but he's real nice, too!"

'Tough cookie' would not be the best descriptor of the Captain, at least not in Gladion's opinion. "I sparred with him. He's nicer than tough, but he would probably beat your ass if he put his heart into it. Or maybe not. I really don't know."

"I dunno' either! But I bet he'd be super nice about it." His insistence on Ilima's friendliness strikes an odd fiber within Gladion, but he lets it pass. "Anyway, so I sneaked out today, too! I heard they were setting off to some weird-ass place and I wanted to check it out! And then I saw you were with 'em and _that_ was awesome!"

He doesn't know what could be awesome about him joining a military melee, but he can understand Hau's glee to some extent. He would have also been at least _relieved_ to see Hau alive. He is a pretty good guy, after all.

"Oh, _damnit_ , I forgot to say." All upbeatness in his body plummets to the ground suddenly, though, his sauntering stopping as Gladion catches up with him. "Plumeria of the Deep is, um, _dead_ , too."

Gladion is visibly startled by this piece of news, his walking staggering to a side in commotion. "Wait, _what_? Are we talking about _that_ Plumeria?" The Plumeria of the Deep that kicked their ass? The one who put them in prison? _The one with an alligator as a_ _ **pet**_ _?_

"Dude, who else? I don't know any other chicks called Plumeria and the one I knew was very much dead when I found her. That was _nasty_ , like, really gross." Hau's whole body tremors with a violent shudder, a hand flying to his stomach as he hunches over. They stop walking for a second. " _Arceus_ , sorry. It grossed me out real bad."

"It's… fine," says Gladion, unsure how to respond to this due to both inexperience and lack of knowledge about the issue. "What happened?"

 _That_ might not have been the best question to make to somebody who is about to throw up, but Hau takes a deep breath and slowly recovers his composure, and Gladion is internally thankful for that. "I was searching for her to offer some sort of truce, 'cause I was scared _shitless_ of you and Moon getting killed in there, but when I walked in, she was, uh, _dead_. I'm sparin' you the details for your sake."

Considering how he had reacted just at the mention of the incident, Gladion chooses to believe him. "Who could have done something like that? I don't know the details, but I guess you found something rather… violent, right?"

"I– For real, I got no clue. I found this very weird note lying around, though, so I thought it might've been treason. Y'know, some angry pirate and some… unfortunate stabs. It was bad, dude, _so_ bad." Gladion tilts his head and crinkles his eyebrows in confusion and obvious skepticism. Hau sees it immediately. "Super weird, right? They looked angry in that note, somethin' about manipulation and all that stuff. I don't remember the details."

A mutiny within the Blackring company somehow sounds impossible. He had seen no conflict between pirates as of yet, and most of them were weak and disastrously brazen, but they had a basis of teamwork. Why would somebody kill their own Commander in a way as gross as what Hau is suggesting? Why does it make his skin coil?

One person comes to mind, but Gladion shakes it off immediately. Hau has gone silent, his sunken expression betraying the same thoughtfulness as Gladion. "Y'know, what if Moon did it? It's not like it'd be her first time and all that. She's got some shady background crimes under her belt."

"I want to think Moon would not commit a crime so heinous. Or, at least, she would be fancier about it. She's a brute, but I don't think she would go that far." The fact that Hau instantly believes him and agrees with a nod, shoulders sagging in relief, brings tranquility to Gladion too– it's a nice validation to have. "I think that Moon was close to me most of the time, and we only got separated a little before the tower was set on fire. She's quick, but not _that_ much."

"I guess that makes sense," says Hau, walking again. Gladion regards him with a questioning glance. "I'm fine. It's just that the image ain't pleasant." A pause. Gladion decides to wait it out. Another nod. "Yeah, I don't think Moon would do somethin' that gross. I… hope she didn't, at least. But that's another topic, I guess."

Gladion nods, but the mention of her name once more prompts him to ask something, curling fingers under his chin, deep in thought. "Speaking of, I suppose you have not seen her anywhere, right?"

"Man, I thought she'd be with you, if anythin'. I got no clue where she could be."

Well, that's a shame– not because he misses her, that's _ridiculous_ , but because it's very odd that she has not made an appearance yet. He would have expected her to pop up anytime soon, and he would be lying if he said that he's not subconsciously _waiting_ for her to come up and start annoying him again, because while her company is troublesome and vexating, he can't deny that there's a space in the middle of it all that feels _wrong_ without her filling it in.

It's not a matter of him missing her, but how weird it feels for her not to be there. Given the circumstances, though, it seems like she isn't that interested in coming by and filling in the void. Gladion grits his teeth. "How weird."

"I guess you haven't seen her either, eh?"

"Well, I _did_." Reviving the memory brings his muscles to tense automatically: her grin, her departure, everything so ridiculous and so _her_ he blames himself for not seeing it coming. He shoves his hands into his pant pockets again. "She managed to grab a ship for herself, and we crossed paths while I was running away– but she must have been in one hell of a hurry, because she didn't bother picking me up."

Hau is frozen to the ground, bringing his hands to his hips with his mouth so wide open one could fit about three apples in there. "Dude, _what_!? That's so rude! Why would she do something like that?"

"I… really don't know. I guess she had something to do that didn't allow her to stop for a second." And she might have had some hidden vendetta against him, but that could have also been a figment of his imagination, so he doesn't mention it. "As far as I know, she also provoked pirates to chase after her, _of course_ ," he tries not to swear but he's _this_ close to doing so, "and their ship crashed with mine, and possibly that crash not only prevented them from reaching her, but that also caused me a concussion."

Really, it all feels too surreal to not have been on purpose, but Gladion thinks it might just be that Moon touched the water, the ship, and thus cursed it with her inherent need to wreak havoc everywhere she goes.

"... _Man_ , that's bananas." Gladion is not sure what he means by that, but judging by his expression, he's shocked to the core, and a bit discouraged by Moon's behavior. That's something Gladion can relate to. "I still hope she's alright, though, wherever she is. We might find her somewhere, I guess."

"Let's not jinx it," Gladion says, not sure if he's against or supportive of the idea. "Things are going well so far. I don't want to get knocked into a coma again thanks to little Miss Troubles."

His impromptu nickname brings him back to that day skipping stones with her where she gave him the most cursed names of them all. _Little Miss Troubles_ is nowhere as bad as that one had been, but he will come up with something– he should _not_ be thinking about it this much, so it might be true that her absence is for some reason affecting him the wrong way.

He guesses he will get used to it. Hau also seems a bit more silent now without her around, but Gladion chalks it up to him mentioning his coma. However, Hau perks up when his brain catches up with the whole sentence. "Wait, a _coma_? You were in a _coma_?"

For sure, the path to Dawn Square Market will take a long time to finish. Gladion knows that much.

* * *

They arrive at Dawn Square Market during the evening when nobody is out anymore. Gladion takes an extra minute to show Hau around briefly; where the restaurant lies, where the town hall is, and the place they would ultimately go to. Hau asks Gladion about the food and Gladion gives curt answers, short in nature because he had only been there a couple of times.

Hau is awed by the amplitude of the big plaza. The granary he had been working in all this time must have been small and almost claustrophobic, Gladion concludes, because such excitement for open places can only be explained like that. They also walk to the town hall and visit the small gardens around it; Hau had an odd habit of making everything and anything around them pleasing and wonderful, and Gladion's job is to dull that unrealistic glee to a realistic degree, much like a grumpy man bursts a kid's balloon.

"Dude, the building is _so_ tall! That's so awesome!" The sorcerer points at the town hall and drives his finger up each of its floors and roofs until he reaches the top. The summit of the construction is crowned with two thin horns and a railing made of gold. "Everything's so pretty here! I wanna live here someday!"

"Don't you say that about almost every town we have visited thus far?"

"Dude, when I said I wanted to live in Bleakdross, I was joking!" But his expression does not support this, almost ashamed of himself, but Gladion lets it pass.

They finally walk towards the main administrative facility in the town, and also the biggest one. Gladion had not long ago that Ilima's building is not the town hall, but actually a garrison.

Ilima had gone out of his way to also say that while Dawn Square Market is small and technically a town, it only serves as a strategic point for the Aedus Capital, Zeffarei. His actual office is in Zeffarei, but his job also makes him move to this town from time to time. His current stay in the town would only be temporary, as he tells them when they reach his office in a very dirty and unkempt mess.

Ilima is not surprised by this whatsoever. "So you are telling me that you two managed to kill the main monster of the competition?"

"Yeah," responds Gladion in a murmur. Hau blinks repeatedly beside him.

"And that the boss of the place ran away, too?"

"That, too."

"And… that _you_ ," he points at Hau, who grows tense at the mention of his name, "managed to destroy an entire cave with your powers?" Far from stern and displeased, Ilima smiles at the newcomer. "You sure hold a substantial amount of chi within you, do you not?"

All tension left in Hau's body abruptly evaporates, and all that is left is molten relief and a goofy smile, embarrassed. Gladion is appalled– he never thought a behavior as reckless as Hau's would be rewarded for a feat as ridiculously destructive as this, no matter the effectiveness of it.

Hau rubs the back of his neck. "I try my best, Captain! I'm exhausted, though, I could totally use some sweets. This big mage body ain't gonna last forever without a sugar rush! And catchin' up with Gladbag here sorta wore me out!"

Ilima looks at Gladion in askance, but Gladion doesn't say anything in return, choosing to overlook the usage of that hideous nickname.

Ilima nods at Hau with a big smile. "Ah, of course, sorcery perks, am I right? I did not know one of your kind would be coming along, excuse my lack of preparation for this." A snap of his fingers is all it takes for a guard to sprint to Ilima's side. "Luckily, we just had our food replenished. Please, take Hau to the kitchenette in the left wing. Make sure he replenishes his energies with the best pastries in our cabin."

As the same guard nods and beckons at Hau to follow him, the latter's eyes widen like saucers as he jumps up and down. Gladion pinches the bridge of his nose in vexation. "Woah, for real!? Thank you so much, Captain! Keep watch on my pal here, will ya?"

When Hau has left the room and is chattering with the guard far into the corridor, Ilima laughs quietly to himself. "My, what a lovely friend you have there. I assume he is one of the people you spoke of yesterday, am I correct?"

"Yeah, he's one of them." Gladion crosses his arms. Clouds of irritation have gathered in his tense eyebrows. "I thought his sweet tooth would have toned down by now. I'm sorry about that."

Ilima's eyes open a fraction further. "What do you mean? I believe most sorcerers have a certain dependency on sweets and sugar in general. I know few to no sorcerers who loathe such food."

"So, it's a trend, then?"

"Not as much of a trend as it is a necessity." Gladion cocks his head to a side just an inch, enough to show confusion but not enough to betray his ignorance on that field. "I'm certain your friend must have consumed a generous amount of chi whilst fighting alongside you. Sorcerers have a different relationship with chi than us handheld weapon users do, and they crave their chi being replenished in a way more sensitive than ours."

Gladion had never noticed it. After all, Hau always seems to be in dire need for a sweet treat in any case or scenario: whilst napping, sometimes while walking, others even in his _sleep_. He's murmured things about malasadas once or twice in his heavy naps, and Gladion had been the unfortunate one keeping watch that night.

He unfolds his arms and puts a hand on his hip, skeptical about what Ilima might be implying. "Are you suggesting they crave sweets to replenish that gap of chi?"

"Well, one way to go about it would indeed be sugar, although a good night's sleep always does much better than something as unhealthy and caloric as buns and the like. Your friend seems to favor them over anything else, though. It's mildly amusing."

Gladion would not call it amusing; annoying, maybe, but it is a little bit funny to see him crawling for a crumb of sugar sometimes. It would be even funnier to see Moon drag him over it– _ah_ , there he goes again, bringing her into the mix.

"Anyway," Gladion only realizes he's been glaring at the floor when Ilima clears his throat. "You both helped us greatly. You have not only the town's thanks, but my own, as well."

"It… really was nothing. I don't mind helping if there is trouble anywhere close to me, I guess. I'm sure Hau feels the same way," replies Gladion, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

"That's good to hear," Ilima says softly, but by the way he looks at Gladion so intently, he knows he's not done with that. "While you were taking care of this issue in our stead," at least he has no shame to admit it, "I took the freedom of reporting the success of your mission to our Empress, and she has shown a great interest in you two."

Well, it does seem like low-hanging fruit for Hau and Gladion to garner interest from a person that important with something as easy – and nearly accidental – as their last mission's success, but Ilima has succeeded in calling his attention.

His smile widens. "Thus, the Empress has summoned you two for a special meeting with her in her palace tomorrow in the morning. Isn't that great?"

This impacts Gladion greatly, so much so that he blinks twice as fast for a few seconds. His brain absorbs the information like a sponge and sends a shudder down his spine because _holy shit the Empress of a whole Dominion wants to meet them both that's monumental what is going on right now?_

"The Empress? You mean–"

"Yes, the Empress of the Aedus." Ilima does not look visibly excited, just content, like this is commonplace for him. He must have a good relationship with her. The man walks around his desk, sifting through a stack of papers. "The Empress is quite the whimsical woman, you see. She is constantly seeking strong people that will meet her admittedly quixotic standards, but you have caught her eye for a reason. That is rare nowadays."

The blond has grown silent as he listens to Ilima talk. He has not quite registered his words yet, and most of what Ilima said is a blur. It might be because, deep inside, Gladion has always seen himself as a boy still trapped in the shadows of his hometown, and the idea of notoriety and fame had never crossed his mind. After all, he's only a town boy with a sword, a fistful of skills and techniques and many things to learn.

It is all too flattering to digest. Ilima kindly regards him in silence. His smile, frequent but more polite than heartfelt, shows sympathy for him. "Has she said why she wants to meet us?"

"The Empress is prone to being vague about her objectives, but I assume that she might have something planned for you. You will not be obliged to follow her orders, though. You have not sworn loyalty to her, and I hope she does not make you grovel, either. She is quite the complex woman."

Gladion, as a man of planning and genuine curiosity, has a few theories in his head and turns pensive. Seeing that the Aedus Empire's objectives had lined with his in a very special and rather lucky occasion, she might see worth in keeping them around as allies. This Dominion seems much more earnest about their constant crusade against the Blackring Company, something that the Kandrus certainly did not care about.

He can see the seriousness in these people. Well, Ilima is the only person he knows affiliated to this Empire, and he's struck a rather round and complete impression thus far.

But, like everything in life, Gladion cannot take everything at face value. Maybe meeting with the Empress will reveal some of those subjacent values he needs for the full picture.

Gladion ends up nodding. In the end, he can't deny his enthusiasm, but he keeps the smile tugging at his lips at bay. He can't go jumping around like a kid because he's been acknowledged as a worthy warrior– something he never had, something that lifts his spirits in unseen ways.

Ilima, however, does see the excitement in Gladion's fidgeting figure and releases a chuckle.

Caught in the headlights, the blond's expression turns sour, looking to his side and croaking out a small cough. "The Empress has requested your presence at her palace by noon. I suggest you arrive on time. She dislikes late attendants– I speak from experience."

The Captain's brief expression of remorse is almost funny, but Gladion has no time to register it before the man is retiring to his chambers, bidding him a good night and tugging at the collar of his shirt, probably haunted by the memory of a hypothetical angry Empress.

Such an image drives Gladion to wonder and imagination. He wonders what that woman will look like– will she be young? Will she be old? Could she be a menacing cold warrior? Could she be a frail lady with a calculating mind? What if she was _both_? Or, Arceus, what if he's poisoned and killed before he can get to the meeting? That would certainly be tragic.

It would be upsetting. Gladion is exciting beyond belief. He's not quite sure why the appeal of somebody humoring his skills would be so thrilling– he has never cared about authorities and hierarchies, but he has always respected them because of the raw power they ooze. One day, maybe, he would reach their level, too.

It only strikes him when he's in his bed.

An adult had recognized his power. They had sat down, heard his story, and decided he's worthy of a minute of their attention– and he had not had to beg for it. The blessing had fallen from the sky on its own. They were telling him he is _that_ good– something Faba never did.

He has to admit that Faba had always focused more on the practical and almost _mathematical_ aspects of life. Everything in his life could be measured with numbers: the money he makes from his job, the few days he takes off, the number of diplomas hanging from his room, the number of hairs on his petulant beard and down to the amount of cereal he takes every day for breakfast – Gladion had caught him counting the flakes one day.

But his skill is not something that can be measured with numbers. One could assume a death count is a number and that it makes for a perfectly fine standard of measurement– but as he had been discovering as days, weeks and maybe _months_ passed, not only do deaths of bad people not matter that much, but more the dents you make on the enemy and what you avoid losing while in a battle.

Being a warrior is not only about winning. It's also about not losing blood, losing his weapon, and so much more he knows he doesn't know yet.

But this is something that Faba had not told him, that he had tried to deny him from discovering– but his skill is no longer just a hobby. To say he's proud of being finally acknowledged for his prowess in such an honoring way would be an understatement.

After all, the only people to have acknowledged his worth had been Moon and Hau, the former more outspoken about it from the get-go– and Gladion doesn't know why, smirking to the ceiling, but he wonders what face Moon would pull if he told her he would be meeting with somebody as important as the actual Empress.

That would be priceless.

All he has to do now is find a worthy rival– and the circle would be complete.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yours truly is updating as a surprise gift for Jane because she's adorable and I'm so productive I woke up and started betaing this right away and because I need for my schedules to match I'll be updating tomorrow too!!!! nobody asked for it but--
> 
> I also love this chapter very much HFFDJISAK I love Hau being openly traumatized after finding a corpse and communicating it to Gladion. What a shame Moon isn't here. I wonder if that's important.
> 
> ALSO WE'RE MEETING THE EMPRESS SOON
> 
> Next chapter is probably my top #2 of the entire series for v obvious reasons I'll explain tomorrow bye


	5. The Fist of One Woman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion and Hau meet the Empress and Princess of the Aedus Empire. They also meet with their bodyguard, who happens to be an old friend he refuses to admit he missed.
> 
> Said old friend also beats the shit out of him, much to his annoyance.

Ilima had told them that walking to Zeffarei is very simple: all they had to do is exit through the west gates of Dawn Square Market and they would get to the granary of the town, and then, all they had to do is walk through there and take a path up a hill, and at the top of that hill, in the distance, they would see the monumental and unmistakable – he said this with a bit too much pride – city of Zeffarei.

To his credit, the path had been rather simple. The track is pretty much laid out so boldly that not even a drunk fool could get lost, which comes in handy. Hau sometimes throws so many questions at Gladion that confuse the latter so much that he has to reconsider his ideas sometimes.

Everything goes great for the first few minutes that it takes them to reach the granary, all of it full of hay and with farmers roaming about.

It's exactly when they want to move on and leave the granary, all of Hau's supplies retrieved, that they begin to find problems– more specifically, with the people that used to call themselves Hau's bosses: a woman of elderly age with a hat too big for her and a man with a mustache so thick and gray it might as well be colored with the residual ashes from a cigarette.

"You, young man! We told you yesterday that it's against the rules for rookies like you to skip shifts as you please! You even had the audacity of bringing a kid with you to play around, eh?" the farmer jabs his finger on Hau's chest. Gladion murmurs the word _kid_ with disdain as the farmers go off on Hau, who gives them a rare frown. "Go back to work! We will tell the authorities about–"

" _Look_ ," Hau interrupting somebody and speaking out of place is an oddity on its own, making Gladion's eyes widen in his direction, "I got no time for this. I ain't a farmer, I'm a sorcerer, as I've told ya' like, ten times, and I ain't gonna repeat myself. You can tell Captain Ilima about it, but I'm leavin' and that's it."

And that's how their first and only bump on the road is solved, with Hau sauntering out of the farm with his chin uncharacteristically high and his chest a bit more buffed than usual, but Gladion chalks it up to this sudden spurt of bravery he's gained. Granted, Hau has always been rather blunt in the way he talks, but facing somebody who had literally threatened him with trouble is _not_ usual.

Thus, "That… was something," comments Gladion off-handedly, seeking an explanation for that.

Hau had been awaiting his question and releases a sigh, then grins from cheek to cheek, rosy cheeks shining in the sunlight. "One's gotta man up when they get threatened! I didn't wanna slow us down, y'know." The wording is familiar. The sentiment previously attached to it is there but in a much smaller quantity. "Not gonna lie, it took me _way_ too long to get working with that thing we went against yesterday."

"You mean the alligator creature, or whatever it was?"

"Yeah. I didn't get my mind in the game 'til you got knocked down. I should've been faster and I'm workin' on it." Hau raises his fist to the air. "Imma fight will all I got, that's for sure! Not gonna be a slowpoke anymore!"

That expression surely has been borrowed from Moon, but Gladion ignores that little fact and they continue walking towards Zeffarei. The path is dry and pretty straight, surrounded by thin trees and the infinite pastures to their sides. Everything looks emerald and infinite, a breeze rocking the blades and making the violet and white flowers bounce back and forth.

Gladion would love to lie on the grass and just let the world spin around him. It would be an insanely relaxing experience– at least much more than this nerve-wracking trip leading to their meeting with the Empress, though he's doing a much better job than Hau and his shaky hands.

In all honesty, Gladion isn't one to be overcome by nerves very often. He will sometimes get fidgety and uncomfortable in certain situations yet he always manages to keep his cool, and when he fails at it, he always hides it and succeeds in appearing collected– or, at least, nobody has called him out yet, not even Faba in his youth, who probably has a lot to do with that nerve-control training. That man is a headache of anxiety and bottled-up troubles on his own.

Hau's unbidden nervousness begins to clear up the closer they get to Zeffarei, as the sorcerer focuses on everything he sees rather than on what he thinks. Zeffarei is no more than a pale blue wall in the distance, but as the fog clears, there are also flags, the monumental roof of a building standing proud behind the walls, and the snow on the mountains behind the capital. The sorcerer comments on everything he sees and Gladion listens very patiently, distracted by the fields of the Lunaria Plains around them and the candid temperature.

At some point, they arrive at the main gates of the capital. Birds are flying away from within the town and take to the sky, causing Hau to stop and follow them while Gladion strouts through the bridge over the water, his eyes already scanning the buildings he sees and widening in mesmerized shock. "Dude, everything's so big here! Look at the birds flying! _So majestic!_ "

For once, Gladion has to agree. Everything in this city screams opulence and vanity, but in a way so subtle and elegant Gladion dismisses the ambitiousness of all he sees; from the sky-high roofs to the sparkles of gold scattered everywhere he looks. He sees gray in the polished stones that make each of the buildings, smooth and glittering under the sunlight. There are also lush trees giving shade to folk spending their day outside, the birds and the rustle of leaves drowned by chatter and laughter in the distance.

The city is correctly pavemented, with small streams of crystal clear water to its sides. Where there's no pavement, there's grass, and where there's no grass, there are flowers or water. The city branches to its right into what Gladion assumes is the main street, with buildings that are more humble in their height but hold the same red, golden and gray royalty that very few places could boast about.

Zeffarei is rightfully called the capital of the Aedus Empire for a reason; he had never expected to be so awed by the architecture and grandeur of it all.

Judging by Hau's enthusiastic jumping, he agrees. "Dude, don't stop and stare! The Empress ain't gonna wait for us forever! I wanna see more stuff, let's go!"

But, most importantly, the palace of Zeffarei stands at the end of the main path, beyond the turning point to the principal street. As Gladion and Hau walk through this path, steps on stone drowned by birds, chatter and opulence, the blond feels they are too small for a city as big as this. There are guards stationed in rigid postures at the sides of the path, each with a weapon shinier than the prior.

Everything is tall, mighty and powerful. Gladion feels like a small ant in the den of a lion with teeth of ivory and gold, yet everything is so peaceful and heavenly, clean and pristine it might as well be a separate reality from all he had seen so far in other places.

High stairs of a thousand steps lead to the entrance to the palace, a bright red rug rolled down the stairs. As Gladion and Hau look up at the building – so high and so beautiful it seems to be about to fall on them – Hau releases a sigh.

"Everything's so tall and fancy, it's like the roofs touch the sky! I feel like some peasant in between so much money and stuff– maybe we should've grabbed some better clothes than these. We're so inadequate here."

"It will be fine. I do agree everything is… very big. I don't think I have seen a place this wide and big in a long time," assures Gladion, starting to climb up the stairs. "I would not mind staying here for a few days, though. I have to say everything is–"

"Pretty? Man, it's more than pretty! It's like they built this place with a ruler and a mold! Wait, you know those kids with the castle molds that make sandcastles?" Confused as to where he could be going with this, Gladion nods slowly. "What if they made this place like that? Everything's so big! How can anybody build somethin' as big as this palace?"

"I… that isn't possible. A lot of skilled architects must have worked on all of this. The city walls could probably fend off any avalanche from the mountains."

Seeing this city's intent on precision and elegance, Gladion wishes he could remember any of the lessons in basic engineering he read about in Faba's books. It had all been numbers and very complicated drawings that nobody ever bothered explaining to him. Here, however, it's almost like those engineering books are coming to life in the shape of buildings, flags and each spiral of gold in the guards' uniforms.

When he breathes, he's taking in pure, unhinged comfort and freedom. He can stretch his arms and not touch a thing. There's no speck of dust anywhere, no trash, no misery, no pain. It's like a backwater untouched by reality itself, so pure and raw it is unexplainable how something this complex but simple can be brought to life in less than a lifetime.

Carried away by the mistifying aura of elegance around him, Gladion carries on walking forward.

Hau, however, doesn't.

"Yo, Gladion."

The aforementioned turns around, one foot on a step and the other a bit below, hands in his pockets as his green eyes notice Hau's downcast expression, lips pursed in what appears to be hesitation. His tilted head speaks a wordless response – _what is it?_ – that needs no words to be understood.

Hau's head rises in his direction. "Well, uh, I was just wondering– am I _really_ invited here?" In the way Gladion's eyebrows knit, Hau knows what he's going to say even seconds before he can speak, and interrupts him. "Yeah, I know maybe I am, but Captain Ilima didn't know I was with you when he went to report to the Empress so– maybe I ain't needed here? It's not like I did that much either, so..."

So that's why he was so nervous, after all.

Gladion wants to say something in response but words are stuck in his throat. When Ilima had told him about the Empress and her desire to meet with him, he's sure Ilima said them _both_ him and Hau, not only himself. Maybe Ilima had immediately assumed that since Hau had also helped out during the mission, the Empress would be just as eager to meet him as she is to meet Gladion.

"You're fine. You helped me out, so you deserve to be here as much as I do, I guess. I don't see a reason for her not to want to receive you with the same enthusiasm. I… hope so, at least."

But Hau's expression is still meek and slightly compressed in anguish, but when Gladion beckons at him to follow him, he catches Hau squaring his shoulders and adjusting his backpack on his back– a gesture the sorcerer would so sometimes when getting ready for a battle. Gladion does not say it, but he appreciates the façade he puts up.

It's by seeing that act of bravery that Gladion swallows the lumps of nervousness in his throat and, after ages of going up the stairs and counting the steps, they reach the entrance to the palace. It is guarded by two more soldiers, the doors surprisingly open and giving view to the throne room, yet the two warriors are stopped by the guards as they are about to step in.

"Sorry, kids, but the Empress is not here at the moment, nor is the Princess– both are currently busy. Did you have an appointment with her, by any chance?"

Gladion nods, not intimidated by the two men in the slightest. "Yeah, we do. Captain Ilima told us the Empress wanted to see us at noon, and I believe we aren't late to the appointment, right?"

The expressions on the guards lighten up immediately, and they take one brisk step back to let them go in. "You must be the two heroes the Captain spoke so passionately about! Come in, then. I believe their assistant is in a meeting with the Princess and the Empress, she will come in very shortly."

 _Assistant?_ Asks Gladion to himself as they make their way into the throne room.

The room is surprisingly bare. The golden throne is surrounded by beady curtains and pillows of the most expensive fabrics, yet surprisingly none of those pillows are on the uncomfortable-looking seat. Engravings of stone of dragons, lions, leaves, diamonds and faces Gladion doesn't know decorate the wall behind the big throne. The seat has a back so tall it almost reaches the ceiling, and it's wide enough to fit two people on it.

Gladion also notices that there are two doors to each side of the room, presumably leading to different wings of the palace, and soon enough, one of the doors opens and the boys swing their eyes in that direction.

What they see makes their jaws hit the floor in shock.

"Welcome to the Aedus Empire, fellow warriors!" A cheery voice. A very obvious grin. "I'm sure you will be excited to–" But then, the woman looks up from the dagger she's cleaning and her eyes drop all the fake enthusiasm and are instead replaced with exasperated surprise. "Arceus on a pillow, I can't believe this!"

Clad in a black long _ao dai_ and white pants, she looks more polished and fresh than Gladion has ever seen her, but despite the uncanny differences, there is no doubt that the woman in front of them, hands on her hips and eyebrows knitted in confusion, is Moon in the flesh.

And Gladion is already done with that. "No, what are _you_ doing here!? We are here for an appointment– what the _hell_ is your business here!?"

"Excuse you," Moon folds her arms and closes her eyes, chin jutting forward in a show of confidence– but then, a grin breaks free again, a sight that had haunted his dreams like the plague. "I'm the royal family's assistant– bodyguard, whatever you wanna call it; I _work_ here!"

Too many questions occupy Gladion's head all at once. Moon is not only safe and sound – as he had predicted – but she works for the actual _Empress_. Moon is a loyal abiding citizen of the Aedus Dominion in their eyes but Gladion knows much better and judging by the glint of confusion and unhinged surprise in Hau's face, he must be as surprised as him.

"Dude, you _work_ here!? You couldn't even sneeze in a guard's direction before!" Hau makes a very valid point. "What are you doing here? Do they pay that well?"

"Yeah, what in the world are _you_ doing here?"

Moon's teeth clench at the jab, but she stands just as proud. "I should let you know that I'm the headmistress of the Springblossom Academy, so I sorta have to be here, y'know! You two just don't trust me at all!"

Her face is a confident grin that shows more sass than happiness, and whether she's happy to see them or not, he doesn't know– in fact, he doesn't know if he's happy to see her himself, all smug and mighty like that.

(But he can't deny that there is a certain tiny, almost inappreciable weight off his chest.)

Gladion takes in her appearance once more. There is little he can say to her that his glare of pure frustration isn't expressing, for she always manages to hop into his good life as soon as some signs of good fortune come his way. She's unbearable and stubborn, and even with her new clothes and admittedly dignified appearance, she's still the same Moon as always.

Seeing her isn't particularly unpleasant, he supposes– just a terrible foreteller of trouble he doesn't necessarily want in a meeting as important as this. If anything, he's interested to hear about _how_ she landed a job this big with a notoriety so stunted, but he has no time to ask that because the doors are creaking open.

A relatively small head pops in through the cracks, and she's all platinum and paleness, so much so that Gladion's breathing hitches. "Moon? Is everything going okay here?"

"Ah– Lillie, it's good to see you." Moon's eyes dart from the girl to her friends, who she regards with an arched eyebrow. "I guess these are the guys the Empress wanted to see. You should call her over."

The girl disappears like that and the spell fades as the doors close. Moon nods to herself and sighs. "So you're the two dudes she was so excited about? I should've seen it coming. I could smell the edge coming from miles away."

Gladion instantly tenses up as Hau explodes into a giggling fit. "Stop insulting me and tell us what you are doing here! You just want to spit on our good luck, don't you? Why else would you be here?"

Moon's dismayed expression turns into a gleeful mockery. "Aw, Gladbag, so sweet so early in the morning! I missed your ridiculous mood so much, really." Gladion frowns at her pointedly, and her grin only widens. "Hau is at least being reasonable about all of this– it's good to see you, pal." Hau nods, grinning, and Moon's smile softens. "It's not like I planned this or anything, the Empress just seemed excited to see you two, for some reason."

And oddly enough, her eyes dart from Hau to Gladion, and her eyes focus on him very meaningfully. Her decided stare confuses him thus irritates him even more. "No, Moon, I'm not a ghost. You might have left me hanging to my death, but I'm still very much alive."

"Feeling bitter, aren't you? Frowning so much is bad for your skin, Gladbag. You'll get a ton of wrinkles when you are all old and soggy."

"What is it with all this banter? I thought visits would be peaceful this beautiful morning."

A figure has appeared from the right wing of the palace– undoubtedly the Empress. In his head, Gladion had transformed that woman into a terrifying giant leader, when in reality she is rather small– so much so that the room is too big for her. Her long platinum hair is loose on her shoulders, a long white dress full of embroidery and fabric trailing after her. When she turns to them, however, Gladion discovers that she's wearing white tights and heels, something much more comfortable and wearable.

The woman's eyes are distinctively green, almost golden around the edges. Something within him throbs at the sight and the picture in his pocket – which he's been clutching for a while now without realizing – burns under his fingers.

"Welcome to my beloved Empire, warriors. My name is Lusamine of Aedus, and I am the Empress of this Dominion. I am sorry if my guard startled you in any way or form. She tends to be rather distrusting of new visitors to the capital." The voice of the Empress is deep and soft, yet fills the room in an almost unnatural manner. "I believe you must have already met, am I correct?"

Why is that name so… _oddly familiar?_

Moon, who is turned in their direction and now stands at a short distance from the woman, nods. "Mhm! We actually go way back. They're pretty much inescapable. I'm positive they're stalking me–"

"Who in the world would stalk a loose bullet like you?" mutters Gladion, yet Moon blatantly ignores him.

"But yeah, we know each other. Look at them; they're _so_ happy to see me, too." The two warriors would expect the Empress to give a reprimanding reaction to this, but the woman just nods and listens attentively. "They're the guys you asked for, too."

"Indeed, I can see that. There is a certain fire within them that screams skill and expertise. Absolutely fascinating." Neither Hau or Gladion knows what she means by this, so they just nod. Weirdly enough, the Empress nods back in an unknown way of communication. "I assume these two young men must be the ones you talked so passionately about, correct?'

Hau seems taken aback by this. " _Passionately?_ "

"She would regard both of you with heavy words of utter impatience, but also a pinch of pride. I consider that to be rather passionate."

Moon says nothing about those claims, but hums in agreement to the whole exchange. "Yeah, this is them. We got into a bit of a sticky situation and I had to run away. They just don't get it."

Gladion is about to let his resent for that memory take over him but Hau speaks for the both of them. "Dude, Moon, I'm so happy to see ya'. How did you get here, though? This place doesn't suit you at all."

"Could I… answer that question, please?"

A meek voice comes from one of the doors to their side, and the same small head from earlier has peeked into the room, fingers creeping from the open doors. She's semi-hidden for reasons Gladion can't understand until the Empress is looking at her daughter in clear disappointment, yet her voice remains strangely calm.

"My sweet daughter, you should retreat to your chamber. We are in a very important meeting right now. This is no place for a girl as pure and innocent as you."

There is nothing impure or bad in this conversation, other than Moon's clear inability to catch Lusamine's clue, turning to the girl – Lillie? – at the door with a grin. "What are you doing there, Lillie? You look like some little stray puppy." Moon turns to the Empress for one second, hands clasped at her front. "I apologize for holding off your meeting with those two. It'll only take two seconds."

As Moon beckons for Lillie to come into the room and the girl visibly brightens up, lets herself be seen and hops in, Lusamine sighs. "It is fine. I do not intend to let this meeting carry on for much longer, as I have duties to take care of. I am here out of mere curiosity, although I am not very keen on letting my daughter attend these appointments unannounced."

Gladion's eyes are glued to the Princess. Something in her pulls the gravity of his eyes to her. She has a thinner complexion than Moon's and is rather petite. Her long platinum hair is pulled to a braid that falls down her back, and her dress is not as long as her mother's, but it certainly is just as royal and elegant as hers.

Gladion takes note of the fact that Hau is staring very, _very_ hard at her, too, mouth agape.

"Uh… hello! My name is Lillie, and I'm the Princess of the Aedus. Moon is my bodyguard– she does a very good job at it!" Moon throws them a smirked grin, hands on her hips as Lillie scoots closer to her.

Gladion stares in a perfect deadpan. What an uncanny picture. "I don't know why I find that very hard to believe."

Hau holds back his laughter as he sees Moon try to take something out of her back, but Lillie stops her with a hand on her arm. "How did she get here, though? She went from a tough rogue to the royal family's bodyguard, eh? That's dope!"

"Well, Moon certainly is the newest addition to our employees," states Lusamine, eyes closed as she goes back memory lane. "One day, she appeared in Zeffarei and requested a guard to take her to the strongest man in our academy–"

"And he took me to a woman in the market cooking a meal," Moon folds her arms and growls, "that was _so damn rude_ –"

Moon's bravery to interrupt the Empress is like cold water on Gladion and Hau's hearts. She truly has no fear for her own life.

Lusamine clears her throat. "Right. She was taken to the Springblossom Academy and she was told to battle our prior chief of the academy and she defeated him, but she was not satisfied with that, and also asked for the Captain of our guard to come by. Captain Ilima, sadly, was not confident enough of his skills, so he rejected the duel. Truly a shame." With a hand under her chin, the Empress focuses on Moon now. "Due to the academy's system, that is all it takes for one warrior to replace the headmaster of the academy. I would say Moon's rise to power in that department was merely incidental."

Gladion's shoulders sag. Of course Moon would just pop in and want to battle after trying to take down an entire pirate Outpost and failing. Only she would be this insane to try and actually _succeed_. He doesn't know why he's so surprised by her feats or why he had not seen her coming. She's _that_ good, much to his chagrin.

Lillie nods with a smile. Her voice is quiet, unlike her mother's or Moon's. "Yes, that was how. Mother saw lots of potential in Moon's battling skills and offered her the job. She keeps things very lively here."

Moon nods. "They pay very well."

Gladion's eyebrow twitches. Lillie bobs her head up and down and ignores Moon's tasteless comment. "I hope I can become as strong as Moon someday. She's so cool, isn't she?"

Moon doesn't even flush or act embarrassed about this, yet Hau rubs the back of his neck and gives her an apologetic look. "I guess I'm super surprised you made it to the Springblossom Academy so quickly. I've heard a _lot_ about that place, it ain't easy to even get a job there."

The blond places a pensive hand under his chin. "Well, if Moon got to where she is so quickly, one can assume it might be easier than one might think."

He doesn't realize he's thrown a very dangerous bait until he detects the silence in the room, how Hau is giving him a _terrified_ look of horror and how Lillie and Lusamine wear worried looks, the former more than the latter. Lusamine wears a small frown that darts between him and Moon, the assassin staring at him with a growing smirk and her hands on her hips.

"Oh?" she drawls out. "Do you wanna try, Gladbag?"

And that's how disaster begins.

* * *

"Dude, you've lost your mind."

Sitting on a stool and cleaning his sword, Gladion shrugs. "I'm just trying to prove a point. If she thinks I'm going to give her what she wants, then she's wrong."

In the plaza of her academy, the first building in the main street of Zeffarei, Gladion feels oddly foreign. There is a sizeable amount of soldiers around the entrance to the academy, some too shy to come and watch directly instead of hiding. Some of them are giving Moon shameless tips that, judging by her distracted state of picking daggers, she's not listening to.

Gladion tries to pick up any weakness in the things she's choosing, yet every dagger looks the same to him and Moon also looks the same to him– so, why does everything feel a bit more forced than before? Is it because he's finally fighting somebody he's always considered to be one hell of a drag? Maybe, it's because of the eyes peering at them from every corner he can see? Honestly, he cannot tell.

What he _can_ tell, though, is that Moon looks as ready as ever. "Hey, stop lurking in that corner and come forward. I'm gonna fall asleep if you take more than one minute more!"

Hau tries to stop him as he goes to follow her command with gritted teeth. "You're gonna get killed there. Moon ain't gonna have mercy on you."

"Why do you think I want to battle her in the first place?"

It might be because his failed battle with Ilima had left a sour taste in his mouth, but he thinks Moon might be the best mouthwash for that aftertaste he can find. As brainless and reckless as she is, she will be either ridiculously easy to beat or one long fight– whether he will win or not is another story, but Moon will _not_ hold back.

"Oh, _dude_ ," mutters Hau a few feet behind him, tugging at his collar. "This ain't gonna end well."

Or so he hopes, at least. It's not like he's given her any reasons to not go out for blood. Judging by how she's looking at him as he steps forward, though, she must have the same idea.

"So you come here to the Aedus Empire just to get your ass kicked?" Moon chuckles to herself. "I expected something more dignified from you, Gladbag. You're gonna become a barbarian."

A smirk shows up in his face. "Don't flatter yourself. I came for business much more important. You simply happened to be in the way– as usual. I'm just going to get you out of the way."

He surprises both himself and her with that comeback. He's not one to give in to trivialities like banter this pretentious. It doesn't feel as weird as he thought it would, and if she feels offended by his words, she does not say so– which is to be expected. Moon is all full of surprises, but only to a certain extent now.

Gladion watches her put her knives behind her back, and instead readies her fists. His hand hesitates over the handle of his Silvally. "You can take out your blade. You won't need it, though."

Unsure if she's trying to scare him or encourage him, he takes it out despite her advice. She shows no reaction to this and instead watches his moves as he unsheathes it and holds it out, pointing it at her. "Let's get the show going, then."

"Mhm." Moon's shoe scrapes against the ground as she gets ready to sprint towards him, and he readies his legs to dodge what will for sure be her demonic speed. "Lemme see what you can do, Gladbag!"

The battlefield is still for one single moment.

A cough.

Then, Moon and Gladion dash towards one another in perfect synchrony and he dashes his sword in a circular sweep to wound her stomach, but Moon has jumped out of the way and is behind his back, attempting to kick his legs so he bucks down, yet Gladion spins around and tries to slam his sword on her shoulder, all to no avail.

Fighting, Gladion thinks, is like dancing, at times. A battle will always be pleasant to him if the pace and attacks are coordinated and planned out, and if he takes the right steps and makes the right decisions, he won't get burnt and the tango can going. In fact, Moon and him fighting resembles dancing in the sense that they are oddly used to each other's fashions, so they have a general grasp of what tactics they will use. He would even dare argue they fight better _against_ each other than alongside each other.

Gladion knows he has to be attentive to his front and his feet, as that is where she attacks the most often, so he shall plan according to that fact.

But one problem presents itself very quickly, as she aims for her arm and she cartwheels away from reach, jumps and disappears– Moon is dastardly _fast_.

Fast might not be enough of an adjective for her daredevil speeds. One moment she's somewhere, and the next, she _isn't_. He's always been able to follow her movements when he's behind her, so this change comes as an unpleasant piece of news.

This far, Moon has landed two punches on his back and a kick on the stomach, and all he's managed to do is one cut on her hand and another on her cheek. His third accomplishment comes when he angles his sword just _right_ , aimed perfectly for her side but when the blade is about to meet the fabric of her dress, she disappears.

That had been close. _So close._

He swears he hears the _click_ within her as the dynamics of their battle changes– and that's exactly what he's been looking for all along.

All within a second, Moon is already behind him and kicking him all across the battleground and smoothly into the academy's building, his back hitting the wall of the in-doors battleground so hard his eyes are blurry for a second, dust all around him as the furniture that once stood in his way is broken in precise pieces.

Moon walks up the steps to the academy, a hand on her hip and another wiping some blood off her cheek, grinning. "C'mon, Gladbag, we aren't done yet! Don't play with me, I know you're stronger than that–"

A glint of sunlight catches her attention and she only has half a second to tilt her head to avoid the blade of his sword as it aims for her head, but then misses and she's left to reach back and catch it by its handle before it flies further away.

"Oh? That could have killed me, Gladion. You aren't being very nice to me today."

The aforementioned has stepped out of the dust and he eagerly catches the sword as she tosses it to him, smirking at her proud figure. "I knew you would dodge that. If you hadn't, I would have been thoroughly disappointed."

The people she knows to be behind them watching the show begin to murmur, and she can feel and almost hear the shudders running down their backs. Moon relishes in the feeling, giving him a smirk of her own. "So you wanna go all out, eh? That sounds promising." As he had wished for, she twirls her daggers into her hands and aims them at him. "I'm not gonna hold back then. I hope you're ready to visit the doctor again."

And the fight resets itself like that. Gladion can feel something poking on his side, probably a shard or two of china from one of the jars at the back of the room, but he pretends that's fine because _she's_ looking just fine and grinning like she's just jogging and he can't stand that. He needs to wipe it off her face.

He needs to see why she's the headmistress of the building they are massacring and not just a rogue like him.

Making a skid to the side and catching her off-guard, he feints that he's going to use his sword and then Gladion is able to kick her to the ground in a swift motion, hearing her release a pleasing yelp that she later snickers off. When Gladion tries to stab her with his sword, however, her daggers meet with his sword and halt his blade as a growl escapes her.

Does he want to kill her? If he lands a hit on her, will she be offended? Will she get angry at him? Why the fuck does he even care about that?

Moon is looking at him with a ferocity that screams intent to hurt him, no matter how far they are from doing any serious harm to one another. He interprets it as ' _kill me if you can_ '.

If he wants to defeat her and make her grovel, then he has to get rid of her daggers: the same weapons that she's pushing to fend off his sword, attempting to kick it off his hands but instead, it only wobbles and she rolls away from under him and squats to her feet.

Her fall to the floor has caused some dust to pick up and cover the surface; she's squinting to see him clearly. These floors aren't made for fights as harsh as these, but _boy_ isn't he excited.

His eyes narrow in the direction of her daggers, then her eyes, unable to discern any clear strategy in her eyes. If he wants to beat her, he will also have to use another weapon of hers against her– _speed_.

The swordsman starts running to her, then dodges, flips away from her and tries to stab her through the shoulder, but he fails and begins running again. His constant running around and jumping will distract her, or so he thinks, so as he makes constant floppy attempts to attack her and Moon very clearly matches his speed and brute strength, attacking with just as much force.

And then, he makes a mistake and Moon's heel makes contact with his lower back again; Gladion zooms across the room and the floor shakes as his body makes contact with the adjacent wall.

Moon nonchalantly brushes dust off her dress and spits on the ground, raising her fist as her eyes look into the neat hole his body had cracked. "Where are you, Gladbag? Imma get sore muscles if you leave me hangin' like this. That's not romantic at _all_."

A gust of wind from above her – somebody leaping from the upper floor of the building, she realizes – has jumped into the battlefield again, and lands swiftly behind her, all in a flash of shadows and a small grunt that follows the blur.

Gladion has her where he wants her, her body not facing his and looking for him in the cloud of rubble and smoke that his crash has created, so he aims for her, his blade pointed to her shoulder and cackling to himself under his breath, ready to call his victory as his blade is only inches away from her–

But then, all it takes for her to dodge him is a single step, twisting her body to a side and making his blade only graze her back, his eyes turning to see a small smirk of pure knowing and mischief showing through– and in the elegance and simplicity of her moves is where he finds her mastery to be.

And that mastery reaches his body as she cleanly raises her hand and hits him on the throat, kicking him to the ground and swiftly pointing his own blade he has let go of in his direction, the dust clearing to reveal him under her with a blade to his throat.

But as the rubble clears further, she finds him to be pointing her very own daggers in her direction, frowning and stoic despite the evident sheen of sweat clinging to his cheeks. Moon sees the daggers and her eyes widen, but no panic shows through.

"Nice try."

And then, the daggers break and shatter in his hands within a flash, and her smile turns into a grin as he looks up at her, confused and baffled as to why his strategy hadn't worked.

"I never use my _own_ daggers in the academy, let alone _real_ weapons– those are made of painted glass and wood. Y'know, so they go _boom_ when people go too hard." Moon plays with his sword in her hand, appreciating its quality, despite it being right by his throat. "I saw you looking at my daggers for a while. You sure got some shady ways to get me, don't you?"

That's when he realizes why it took her so long to decide whether they should battle or not, why she had been playing with her own daggers and checking them so carefully. He thought she deemed the risk of destroying her own daggers too wasteful– but she had probably been looking out for his safety, even when he's aware she had been out for blood.

Arceus, he feels so stupid.

When he has recovered from being stunned, Moon offers him a hand. "Get your ass up or I'll sweep all this mess with it. First warning."

And as he clasps his hand around hers and they share a complicit smirk, it seems like it has been decided: Gladion has found himself a worthy rival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Moon literally appeared out of nowhere in the most unexpected place of all and I APPRECIATE HER WILDNESS SO MUCH. And this stuff is v important so take notes bc Moon is not only strong she has a JOB AND A RANK AND A REPUTATION AND AN ACADEMY TO BACK THAT UP. Gladion is so done.
> 
> Gladion: WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE. I'M GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS  
> Moon *laughs in powerful*
> 
> This is, by far, the best fight I have EVER written for ANY fanfiction and I'm so, so glad it was for THIS CHAPTER. 
> 
> It's my favorite because not only do we SEE WHAT MOON IS UP TO we also meet Lillie and Lusamine and more people to come. THIS is the part where we kick things off with a BOOM. It's only upward from here and I'm SO excited about that. I love this chapter. I love it so much. Character development, world building and FINALLY establishing Moon and Gladion as rivals which DEFINITELY won't trigger moments of sexual tension in the future of the series :)c I also love this chapter because it establishes Moon's dual morals as well as Lillie and the dynamic between her and Lusamine.
> 
> I. Love. WRITING. LUSAMINE'S DIALOGUE. 
> 
> and I LOVED. WRITING. MOON AND GLADION. FINALLY BATTLING THEIR DIFFERENCES LIKE THIS.
> 
> BEST CHAPTER EVER


	6. Sunlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion, Moon, Hau and Lillie take a trip to the Solaris Monastery. Gladion also finds out there's something off about the little Aedus Princess.

When Moon and Gladion make it back to the palace, both in a rather unkempt heap of dust and uneven hair, Lusamine almost shrieks in horror. Gladion had heard that she has a rather… curious obsession with clean spaces so he can understand where the fuss comes from, at least to a certain extent.

The reaction of the Empress is not included within that certain extent, that being sending them away to a day-long walk into the forest of the Lunaria Plains, but instead of going to the west, she sends them to visit a small isolated place in the far east: the Solaris Monastery. She insists that it's a place of peace and silence, where all Aedus citizens have gone at least once in a lifetime to pay respects to the ancestors of the royal family.

Gladion can't understand where this sudden request for them to visit the monastery comes from. Lusamine says Lillie should go with them so she pays her respects as well, but Gladion has a certain inkling Lusamine might just want Moon and him to get rid of the muck– but somewhere else where she can't see it.

In general, it's a very random request that he accepts because of his curiosity to explore, but Lillie still apologizes profusely as she leads the way with Hau by her side. "I am so sorry for Mother's behavior. She cannot stand people being dirty in the palace. Every room is spotless and clean. I told her one day that people could get allergies that way, but she didn't listen to me and…"

"It's fine!" says Hau, ambling forward with his arms behind his head. "Honestly, Moon and Gladion could use some of that peace and stuff to calm down. They almost killed each other in that fight." The sorcerer twists his body around to look at them, wagging his eyebrows. "Ain't that right, you absolute beasts?"

Moon huffs, some hairs flying out of her face in the process. "He just got lucky I was considerate!" Then, she grabs the loose strands and plucks them out of her face, a smirk showing through. "I totally kicked his ass."

His competitive fiber struck, Gladion glares at her as they walk up the hill. "You _wish_. You aren't looking very pretty right now."

"The big fat bill you're gonna have to pay for going through one of the walls in the academy isn't gonna be pretty either– but I guess each picks their fights, right? It's a saying as old as time."

"You made that up," he points out, hissing, "And I'm not going to pay anything."

Moon laughs in response, too boisterous to be heartfelt, and he shuts up as they ascend more, that's right, _steps_. The Solaris Monastery is surrounded by a wall of solid rocks, but there is a grand entrance surrounded by a gate of flowers and sandalwood that they have to get to to go through. As Lillie had informed them, the land where the monastery stands is on one of the highest points of the Aedus Empire, but the land had broken down during an accident and created a cliff– which would explain why they have been going up a slight yet long slope all along.

Hau and Lillie have hit off very nicely, much to Gladion's surprise. Lillie seems to be a very shy and meek woman, but she still laughs at Hau's jokes and smiles prettily when the sorcerer tells her about his life. Her expression falls when she hears that he has amnesia, but Hau expertly carries the conversation to better light and she's soon smiling again.

Moon and Gladion have been left at the back of the beeline. Her arms are crossed and she's limping from one leg, Gladion notes, but that doesn't prevent her from leaning sidewards to where he can hear her. "They're totally getting along, aren't they?"

"Hau could get along with a rock if he puts enough effort. I wouldn't doubt his social skills." Moon chuckles at that.

"Lillie is a very sweet girl. She has no friends outside the castle, she's not allowed to leave; the Empress is very insistent on how everyone in Zeffarei just want her money and her power. Y'know, like those sorts of marriages in Reikyuu. The creepy ones."

"That's a myth, and it doesn't happen anymore _anywhere_."

"From the perspective of the Empress it _does_ , and that woman is very… stubborn." She had actually given him that impression, so Gladion goes along with that and nods. Moon spares a glance in Hau and Lillie's direction and smiles. "I'm glad to see Hau and Lillie getting along. It'll be good for her– though I don't know if you two are gonna stay here for long. You gotta tell me about your plans."

"Why? Are you genuinely curious?"

Moon offers him a grin. "Who knows? Maybe I'm just plotting to stalk after you like you two rats did to me."

There it goes, their little moment of short peace. Gladion sighs, but doesn't try to counter her argument anymore– he knows that deep inside she's just joking. If she had been serious, Moon would have been making his life impossible with her teasing. "Considering our meeting with the Empress was cut short and she only wanted to _see_ us, I think we will hang around for a while more."

The assassin hums and puts her hands behind her back. Silence is all that comes next, her not saying much and him saying even less. He deems her to be too focused on Hau and Lillie's all too wholesome exchange for her to break the pause.

"You seem oddly happy to see people you left hanging alive and well."

The spite in that sentence is astronomical, and it actually startles her both mentally and physically. Her shoe catches with a rock and she almost falls. Gladion pretends his hand didn't twitch to catch her.

Her unkempt state is hidden under the mess he had caused in her body earlier. Gladion would be proud of her physical distress if it weren't for the abusive amount of wounds and blues all over his pale body. Moon sighs, shaking her head. "Should've seen it coming."

"Just–" He stops mid-sentence to groan under his breath, trying not to snap because if she's going to talk about this, he will be civilized about it this time. " _Enlighten me_. Why did you think it was a good idea to leave me hanging like that?"

Moon's expression is pinched into contemplation. "To be honest, I thought you'd be fine."

"Well, I _wasn't_!"

But Moon continues talking, voice airy. "Any of you guys not surviving the fight wasn't an option, and I had to get away _immediately_. I had Blackring pirates chasing after me and really, I hadn't found anything of use where we were, so I just had to cross the road."

Gladion is visibly disbelieving. "Were you in a hurry _that_ bad?"

"Yep." The _p_ pops through her mouth. "Totally in a hurry."

For one moment, Gladion has the firm belief that she's about to say something else, and his judgment is muddled by Hau and Lillie's laughter. Moon's visibly distant gaze, focused on them, has turned sour. Something's in her mind.

"Tell me something, then." Moon's eyes flicker back to their usual shine, curious. "Did we ever cross your mind when you were off into the wilderness, on your own, without us?"

Her smile twitches in a way that leads him to believe she's about to grin the shit out of him. "So you _are_ bitter about me not taking you in my fancy boat."

"You haven't answered my question."

They stare at each other for too many seconds, he is aware, but the question is _burning_ within him for closure. Gladion isn't one to pry, but it's not like she's given any signals of being uncomfortable with his questions. She's always been respectful about his boundaries, and he's always been respectful of hers. However, this is not about boundaries, but about him wanting to know what happened.

Moon crosses her arms, drumming her fingers against her forearms. "It's not like I got too far, either. I realized that Hau could've been somewhere around the shore, y'know? But I didn't find him and… in the end, the Blackring almost got me. I had to jump overboard."

His eyebrows pinch in the middle. Moon being caught in the crossfire is new. "They cornered you?"

"Yeah, but I swam across and got to the Aedus Empire. I stumbled with Dawn Square Market and asked a guard to take me to Zeffarei. Kinda made it in one piece– but also sorta didn't because I had a few ugly cuts in my leg." Moon pats her thigh over her _ao dai_. "That was nasty."

For one moment, just one, it feels like the mirage and the mask of her confidence has gained a crack. He is on the fence if that's good progress or just progress, but he knows he doesn't enjoy knowing that somebody who beat his ass less than a day ago had been cornered and attacked by pirates.

It's a nasty feeling, like a small coil in his stomach. Very little, but just as unshakable as an ant. Not enough to anger him, but just enough to make him think that's just wrong.

Moon surviving a whole ship chasing after her, falling into the river and limping to a town not that close to the shore proves that she's a force to be reckoned with– she might as well be genuinely invincible.

"... You still haven't answered my question."

Her pensive expression cracks into a grin. "I thought I did!"

"That barely classifies as an answer."

"You just wanna press me against the ropes, huh?" Her eyes swing from him to the duo before her, but Gladion then realizes that she's focusing solely on Hau. "It's complicated to say. But just know that I did look for Hau, as best as I could, and when everything had settled… yeah, of course I asked myself if you idiots were okay. You can't get anything done without me babysitting you."

Moon, regaining her confidence, has strode forward while Gladion stops walking and squares his jaw. He hurries to catch up with her. They are close to the last steps to the monastery and the golden sunset covers everything in glitter and dewy sunlight streams. "That's rich, coming from you. You would have gotten killed that day in the tomb if I had let you hang onto that button forever."

On her step, Moon has turned to him and grins in an almost mean manner. "You're super bitter, like a lemon! If you had been smashed by the rocks that day you would've made the best lemon juice of all time."

Gladion slowly goes up the last steps with a tantalizingly slow pace. Moon turns around slowly, but he catches the vestiges of a grin that she for sure is wearing now as she finishes her walk. "You could stop imagining my death, for a change. If you could stop pushing me in danger's path, too, that would be great."

"They don't pay me enough to protect your species," she comments. "Also…"

Gladion, one step behind her, peers into the horizon. A landscape he has yet to explore and see lies before him and Hau is waving at them like crazy, calling their names with words muddled in the wind while Lillie picks herbs at a nearby patch of grass. They have been left behind, but he decides to wait it out again, wondering what's in her mind now.

"I guess you told Hau about what happened, right? Y'know, me leaving and stuff." Gladion lets out a humorless chuckle, and Moon twists her mouth into what he believes is childish concern. Still to this day, he has yet to see her genuinely disturbed.

"What, are you concerned about Hau being mad at you?"

"I mean, not especially," but there is hesitation in her words, a gap of silence that belies her concern, "but I guess it'd be uncool if he was angry at me. I think Hau might be a bit more sensitive about this stuff, so… yeah. It'd suck."

They leave it at that.

The Solaris Monastery is washed in golden lights and birds chirping around the landscape. Everything is grass and soil, fertile like a forest but with the dignity of the city they had just left behind. Grand willows are bowing and offering shelter from the soft sunlight, bursting from the sides of the path that skims by the cliffside. The path is abruptly interrupted by a curved bridge that takes to the left and ends in a small island that seems to float in mid-air, a small cage-like structure standing lonely in the distance.

A thin river cascades down from the side of the gate and runs across the field, falling off the cliff in a crystalline flow of glistening water. A crimson bridge crosses it, reaching a small building to their left with a tall traditional ceiling, following the general archetype from Zeffarei.

"Dude, this place is so pretty– I think I can hear the ocean from here!" yells Hau from deeper into the monastery's garden, beckoning at them to get closer. Moon flutters to his side as he leans over to look down the cliff. "We gotta be so high up! There are _clouds_ down there! That's so awesome!"

Lillie calmly steps in their direction as she ties her herbs into a small bouquet. Gladion wonders if she will use it for cooking or something else, maybe as a jar stand. The flowers and herbs look pretty on their own to be merely decorative. "I believe those clouds are just seafoam. The tides are a little rowdy down there."

"Woah, really!? How high up are we now?"

"Um, I would say a quarter of a mile, approximately."

Hau whistles. "That's _high_." His eyes dart to Moon, who is eyeing the ocean, crouching with curious wide eyes. When their eyes meet, Moon's smile begins to show some teeth. "Man, imagine if we jumped down there like, with a vine or something. Wouldn't that be cool?"

Lillie regards them with a concerned stare, but Gladion is approaching them slowly to speak all she can't say. "Don't give her ideas, Hau. That's probably the only way to get rid of her, though."

Moon's smile widens even more, her cheeks filling with playfulness. "You wish that'd kill me. That's a kid's fall for me, Gladbag."

The same effect as always occurs. Lillie arches an eyebrow and mouths the dreaded nickname and Gladion has no energy to reject it anymore. "I thought your name was Gladion, was it not?"

"It _is_ , she just thinks it's a cute nickname."

"My taste for nicknames is _exquisite_."

"Only if you have the taste of an ogre."

Hau sees the smiled intent in her eyes to throw him off the cliff or probably battle him again– knowing her, she might probably do so just for kicks and giggles. The idea of her tossing Gladion into the void or them destroying property with their battling again doesn't sound very promising– in fact, it sounds awful.

"As much as I'd love to dive and like, go freefallin', we should at least do it without a murdering intent." Hau snickers as Moon pouts at him. "I ain't looking at anyone, Moon."

"I didn't say anything! You guys are just being mean."

Hau laughs it off, and Gladion releases an uncanny smirk, arms folded as he looks at the two in disbelief. Lillie can only stare at the exchange and she suddenly feels like an outsider– almost like a hidden spy peering into a family meeting, because as far as she knows, Moon had just reunited with her friends today, and perhaps Lillie should not have come with them. After all, she's not as cool as Moon, or as collected as her two friends, and definitely not as funny as Hau, that much her Mother had told her already–

"And Lillie, it's so cool you know all this stuff about the monastery!" Her green, wide eyes flicker towards the trio, who are staring at her with different levels of kindness; Moon is smiling at her in that brilliant radiance and playfulness of hers; Hau is grinning fully, hands bent under his head while Gladion stands taut by Hau's side, yet he retains some of his mirth from the earlier exchange.

She wonders why he's so silent. And why he's not smiling when he looks… certainly happy. Maybe not happy but… satisfied. Pleased.

She wonders why she cannot smile that way, either, but she tries her best and gives them a polite smile. "Thank you. I have read a lot about this place if– if you would like to hear."

Moon stands up and looks at her two companions. "Lillie is super smart. And a total sweetheart." Mirth dissolving into a knowing sneer, charcoal meets the almost brown of Hau's eyes. "She's just like you, Hau, but with twice the brain and half the stomach."

It's almost magical how Hau ignores a jab so evident, but he looks more focused on Lillie than anything else so Gladion chalks it up to that and chuckles. "Totally, you're so smart! Tell us all the details!"

Lillie gulps nervously as a wobbly smile blossoms in her appeased features. "R-Right! So," the girl begins to walk in the direction they had come from slowly, letting them catch up with her. Their steps make the wood of the bridge creak, accompassing the rush of water from the river below them, "this building right here– I think it leads to a garden and a few other smaller buildings in another area. Mother told me she's been here several times. I think there is another way to get there, but it has restricted access. Nobody comes here anymore, so…"

Moon walks forward, a step ahead of Lillie and trying to peer into the small building. The doors are closed, though. "Where's everyone, though?" Her head turns. Her mouth is shut and not smiling, but twinkles of curiosity are showing in her expression. "I'd love to see some of those monks and talk to 'em! Maybe they know where Gladbag's chill has gone to."

Gladion has his eyes on the building, admiring the complex engineering in the rooftop, small lions of gold gleaming under the dying sun. He chooses to ignore her beaming grin. "Like they would let a daredevil like you get close to them. You would give them an aneurysm."

Lillie giggles. "I suppose they must be in the restricted area. A long time ago, people used to come here for tourism, and the monks in the monastery complained to Mother. Nobody comes here anymore, really, other than for the semi-mandatory trip Mother mentioned," Lillie explains, voice soft and slow. "I am allowed to go to the monastery because I belong to the royal family, but I don't know if you all would be allowed access. Maybe Moon, but…"

Hau shrugs it off. "It's fine! This place is _super_ pretty! I wish I knew where the path to the actual monastery is, though!"

"I don't know… Mother has never told me. It is very well hidden, other than the obvious entrance that this building is…" Lillie's eyes get lost in the marvelous architecture of the building, and Gladion notices that her hands have tightened around the frills of her dress.

Moon notices this, too. "I guess you've come here before with the Empress, right?"

"A few times, yes," Lillie answers, though the joy to be expected from that declaration is missing. "I have not come here in a long while. I used to come here to play when I was younger, but…" She trails off as her eyes get lost in what might be a memory, or a feeling of distress– Gladion is not sure.

He frowns, saying nothing.

"Anyway," Lillie clears her throat gently and turns heel, walking back across the bridge. "I think Mother wanted me to show you something else. I-I hope this is not too boring, I have never guided people around this place, and most I know comes from books, s-so…"

Moon pads close to her, nudging her with her elbow. How she's so familiar with the actual Princess of the Aedus is still a mystery to him. At least Hau has been friendly, yet very polite– Moon is just an outright spit on Lillie's role as a royalty figure, but the blonde doesn't seem to mind that in the slightest.

"You're doing great," she encourages with a rare gentle voice, but Gladion can see bubbling excitement in her voice, even when he's behind the two with Hau. "No wonder you were so excited to leave, the Empress rarely lets you leave the castle… she's gotten so boring lately."

Gladion shudders when Lillie nods back. _How can she get away with being so damn disrespectful_? Is this her trick? Is this how she survives any catastrophe life puts her through?

And even worse, Lillie is humoring her, nodding. "Mother has been very busy lately and… a bit protective. She sometimes says very weird things about other Realms… I don't know what all of that could be about."

Lillie has taken them to the bridge at the end of the cliffside, which crosses the void between clouds and seagulls flying about. The sky has turned a pale shade of pink, mixed with the golden of the sun. It paints his companions in a much gentler, silent light.

The group stops when they reach the small floating island, only big enough to hold a quaint bandstand of golden bars and wooden ceiling, holding a small delicate arrangement with incense steaming from a cup made of copper. In the center, there is a tiny set of wind bells hanging from a wooden structure, perfectly still. To the left, a flower vase.

Lillie stands in silence before the arrangement, and the others do the same. Gladion thinks she knows best, and that the safest thing is to do exactly what she's doing.

Then, the blonde sinks to her knees. "They say that if you leave a few herbs for a spirit, it will blow between the bells. It is also said that each spirit makes a different noise and that it rings differently for each of us."

Lillie leaves the small bouquet of herbs and flowers under the rain of bells and entwines her fingers gently. Gladion, however, is highly skeptical of this rumor, also kneeling as his companions follow her example. "Couldn't it be the wind moving the bells?"

Moon, who is right beside him between him and Lillie, turns her eyes to him, giving him a very telling look that brings tension to his body. For the lack of stern gestures he's seen her pull off, she can for sure inspire fear in his body when she wants to– a remarkable ability to possess, but she manages to shut him up regardless.

Lillie's lack of response and Moon dropping her smile for just a second tells him there is something else beyond this rumor that he can't see, so he joins his palms and joins the prayer– he hasn't brought any flowers, but showing a bit of respect will not do any harm.

Hau mutters a quick few words. "Everyone's got something to pray for."

They spend the next minutes in complete unaltered silence, but not much later, the bells chime with a light breeze of sea salt and autumn freshness.

* * *

After coming back from the monastery, they had left Lillie in the palace. The woman showered them with gratitude for escorting them to the monastery, even though there had been literally no danger on the way there and she had been the one doing them the favor. Still, Lillie bid them farewell and told Hau and Gladion that they could stay in the guest rooms of the palace for the night, parting after that.

When the three had gone down the stairs, Hau had very quickly excused himself, too, as he had a very special date with the souvenirs in the market, which was still open to the public. Gladion had thought Hau would've wanted to catch up with Moon too, as a group this time, but his hunger had taken priority, it seemed.

Which had left Moon and Gladion alone, but not for very long. Maybe she had felt the unease of him and her being left stranded like this– after all, Moon had looked exhausted and was probably not willing to make small chat with him or anyone.

"Don't worry, Gladbag, I gotta go do some stuff at the academy," Moon had grinned, hands on her hips with her eyes wrinkled at the corners, playful. "Spending the night with sour lemons isn't my hobby. Feel free to wander around– and watch out for muggers. They're into small goth boys with too much sense of self-preservation."

And with that, she leaps away, cackling to herself.

_What an absolute nightmare._

With Moon skipping happily to her academy – a notion he still has to get used to, her being a responsible adult and all that – and Hau deep into the market, Gladion is completely alone in the empty streets of Zeffarei, so he decides to leave for the night. It's a little bit counterproductive, going down the stairs to later make his way up again, but that's Hau and Moon misleading him into believing they would do something together as a group.

Which had been a ridiculous idea. Because it must be close to midnight by now.

But it's whatever. It's not like he had been looking forward to it at all.

Gladion enters the palace again, this time not bothered by any nosy guards, and stumbles with the awkward realization that he has no idea where the guest rooms are. Lillie had simply said that they were invited to stay in the palace, but she had given him no clue as to where that room is.

Great. Time for him to walk around. The guards outside will have no clue where his room is, so he has no other option but to take an improvised tour around the palace.

Gladion is immediately mesmerized by the grandeur and radiance of the decorations in the hallways. He's immediately presented with a long hallway that seemingly stands by a garden pavilion, and from the windows in the hallway he can see yet another building equally grand. If his room is there, he will never know, because the door to the pavilion is closed and he can't manage to open it, so he decides to take the stairs at the end of the room.

He's trying to paint an image of the palace's layout in his head: a pavilion to the right of the main building, a kitchen on the first floor along with the throne room and what he believes to be a big meeting room; and that's just the first floor of one of the wings within the palace. This place is vexingly big, yet so interesting.

Fortunately, everything is empty in the palace. Either the Empress trusts herself and Lillie to fend off any possible intruders or their guards are very well hidden.

At the end of the hallway, two parted doors throw light to the corridor. He follows his instincts and approaches the room, believing that he will find somebody there that can tell him where his bedroom is.

What he finds inside is a library– but not any kind of library. The small dusty places in Ludwig Town, bookshelves half-collapsed with books– those were libraries, but this is something else. The floor is made of copper tiles, and there are bookshelves everywhere he can see. The smell of ink and old books is overpowering, echoing to ages where this place would be important, a small backwater of knowledge and wisdom. The walls are covered with books, and at the end of the great chamber, two spiral stairs lead to a second floor filled with even more books, railings of marble to the sides.

His steps click against the impossibly clean floor. A dim orange light fills the space, and he hears books being shuffled around somewhere to his left– and he sees a small blond head moving.

Lillie turns around from the second floor and peers over her shoulder. She's immediately taken aback by his presence. "Oh! I… good evening– Gladion, right?" Gladion nods. "I didn't think I would see you here."

He quickly moves to the end of the room and goes up the stairs to meet the Princess, the last person he would have expected to see. He finds her reading a book too big for her hands, he notices, but judging by the number of bookmarks sticking out of it, she has read it a thousand times.

"Sorry to interrupt you, if you were busy," Gladion apologizes in a leveled voice, very much aware of who he's talking to. A notion still foreign to him – everything is still too new for him. "I didn't know where my room was, so I was walking around in hopes of finding it."

Lillie realizes her mistake immediately. "Oh, goodness me. I'm so sorry, I forgot to tell you where to find it. I was so tired it slipped my mind completely." The swordmaster is about to say something about that but she cuts him off. "I, um, could not sleep, so I came here just… for a while. I'm glad I decided to stay up."

"Yeah, so am I." Lillie nods at him and looks at her book again. He doesn't realize she's been frowning all along until he sees her bite her lip in concentration. "I thought you would be in bed this late in the night, Ma'am."

"Please, call me by my name. I believe you must be older than me, correct? Don't refer to me by rank name, it… makes things feel too impersonal."

He is surprised by her request, but complies with a complacent nod. He should have known her to be casual with people she knows; after all, she hasn't shown signs of discomfort when Moon and Hau call her by name. He just wants things to stay polite and civilized _because he's talking to the Princess of the Aedus and he still can't believe he's here–_

"S-Sorry," he realizes she's been staring at him when she speaks up, "would it be rude if I made you a question?"

"Absolutely not."

"Well, uh… you have rather… characteristic features," Gladion blinks in confusion, "Yes. You have very bright hair and eyes. Could I possibly know where you are from?"

Her eyes are big and they flutter in curiosity. He would even dare say that she's been mulling over this for a while if she's this eager, her book tight in her hands and her stare awaiting like none other. Her irises, green like spring, are second to Moon's in terms of expressiveness.

Gladion wonders what she could be asking this for, but the focus on his features makes him remember that he had made the correct assumption when he thought that Lillie shares a lot of features with him. The resemblances are uncanny: bright hair, deep green eyes and pale skin– though in his way to the monastery, seeing Lillie's personality and then his own, he had also assumed that that could very well be a common set of traits for people from this region.

At least, that reduces the scope of zones where his true family could reside.

But seeing the very odd similarities between him and her, though, he can't help but be suspicious.

Still, he shakes it off. That would be ridiculous. Him coming from a royal family? Too on the nose to be true.

"I come from a small town in the Kandrus Empire– a _very_ small place called Ludwig Town. I don't think you would know of it, after all, nobody does."

Lillie remains silent for the next couple of seconds, so he guesses he's right. There is a small fall of her shoulders after this declaration, and her words sound solemn. "I see. That must be very far away from here, right? I… have not explored beyond these walls, so I don't think I have the best geographical comprehension." Gladion nods in understanding, and he's about to distractedly grab a book before she chirps in. "Is the world outside big?"

He gives her question some thought, and when he speaks, it's in a resigned sentence. "I guess it's as big as you want it to be. My world is about two Empires big, but I would not mind making it a little bigger."

She nods, then looks at her book. There is something in the air that hangs unfinished, so he waits it out again.

"I see. Your life sounds very interesting. I wish I… was not as busy as I am, training and reading books all day long. Mother always says the world is a very dangerous place to be in," Lillie mutters, biting her lip anxiously. "But… I would love to go further than the monastery someday. Maybe the day I become the Empress, I will explore what lies beyond these walls."

Gladion's eyes are on her for a short second, but then, he reads book titles by their spines, yet takes none out.

Her words have soaked in his brain far too deep for him to not respond.

"Well, the world is indeed very dangerous," he murmurs, earning Lillie's attention. "But that's what makes it worth exploring."

A small breathy noise of surprise, very faint. He can feel her gaze on him, much like that of a kid seeing the snow, and while he appreciates the sudden enthusiasm towards his persona, he does not feel comfortable with somebody staring at him this hard.

However, he quickly finds out why. "That's exactly what Moon said, word by word." When he turns to her, she has a satisfied smile on her face, peaceful. "Though, she always said you were less adventurous and, in her words, ' _a,_ uh, _darn drag to appease_ '. But she said it with a big smile on her face, so I suppose it's not bad."

It would depend on her smile, though. Gladion is almost an expert in what he calls _Moon's Overly Complicated Lexicon of Smiles_ , and he knows way too many of them– an embarrassing amount of them. She has her trademark continuous smile, then the one she uses to laugh at him, the annoying one for when she's visibly mocking him, and a few of them for when she's aiming for trouble and wants to have fun– all of which, at the end of the day, are one and the same.

"Anything she says with a smile on her face being good is a very debatable theory," he mutters between his teeth, causing Lillie to giggle.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you meet Moon?" A second of silence. "Well, how did you meet Hau, too? It appears to me that the three of you have traveled together for a while."

Gladion spends the next minutes telling her about all they have done together. A lot of it is left behind for the sake of his ego, but most of it is rightfully explained; from their meeting in the segment between Ludwig Town and Gemstone Village to the brawl in the Blackring Outpost, where Lillie tactfully comments that the pirates sound like horrible people.

His details about Moon being a pain in the ass to work with are not as embellished or elaborated as he would have expected, but it makes Lillie laugh quietly and that makes him feel better about himself.

"Yes, Hau is delightful to be with. He is a very funny person." Lillie's smile widens even more.

"I would say Hau is more bearable than her, I guess. She's just aiming for my throat all the time. It's a miracle I'm still alive, all things considered," he sighs, but there is no trace of animosity in his voice or face. "I bet she's fixing that wall she broke earlier. She just can't remain idle for more than a minute."

"You seem to know Hau and Moon rather well. You are right, though, Moon is… constantly moving. Her energy can be quite overwhelming." Gladion is overjoyed to have found somebody that agrees on that fact. "I believe she's headed out to a mission tomorrow, even though she will be tired after your tough battle with her… she really _is_ something."

"A mission?" asks Gladion, disbelieving.

Lillie nods. "Moon and Captain Ilima are investigating the Lunaria Plains. I believe someone found something of interest during a prior mission some weeks ago, and Moon insisted on going for one reason or another. She would not tell me why, though, so it must be something very important."

Gladion represses a groan. Moon might have become a splice maturer and she for sure has gained some weight on the power scale, but she's still as unexplainable and unpredictable as always. In his childhood, he used to believe that unpredictable means fun and adventures, and while Moon is, admittedly, all of that, it also entails work and plans being impossible to arrange with her.

Not noticing his troubled and annoyed expression, Lillie dissolves into a blissful sigh. "Moon has helped us a lot. I would not want to get ahead of myself, I have only known her for little over a month, but… She treats me like a little sister, sometimes. It's… a very nice feeling." Lillie's grasp on the book tightens once again; indicating a depth that Gladion can't quite reach. "Mother and I lost a few of our family members when I was very, very little. It feels like Moon sometimes fills in that gap."

Gladion would be lying if he said he has not noticed Moon's uncanny softness towards the girl, and he can't help but feel pity for Lillie and wonder what could have happened to that part of her family– he had also lost his family, once. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"It does not bother me anymore, so it's alright. If anything, I'm sometimes worried about Mother. She was the one to shoulder all of that pain. I was too little to be there for her, and I do not know if she used to be this demanding with me and training but… for some reason, it does not feel that way."

When she catches Gladion's focused stare and attention, she tenses up and her eyes turn shameful. "I-I'm sorry for that, I probably sound insane right now, I didn't mean to ramble about my own life like this to basically a stranger…"

In all honesty, Gladion is not a fan of sitting down and listening to people ramble on and on, but he's forged certain patience for occasions like these. It's not like he has much to do now anyway.

Gladion notices that her fingers are fumbling with the corners of her book's page. He's convinced she isn't noticing that she's doing it. "It's fine." He, however, remains fixated on her fumbling fingers. "Also, I would stop toying with the corners of that book. It looks ancient."

Lillie removes her fingers from the book like it's fire and it's burnt her, and the book falls to the floor and wakes up a fair amount of dust from the unopened pages, disturbing the silence around them. "S-Sorry. It's something I do as a habit. Mother has scolded me about it several times."

She bends down to pick the book up. Gladion nods in understanding. Moon usually drums her fingers and he's seen Hau fiddle with the corners of his shirt when stressed, and both do it without noticing as well.

Appreciative of her, both alone in the big territory of the library, Gladion speaks. "I have seen other people do something similar."

"Really?" He nods. "I only do it when I'm a bit restless or thinking a lot… I can't help it. When I was little, Mother would give me sheets of paper and I would make little birds and boats with it. She always showed them off to guests, so I had a lot of fun making them."

"You mean, like origami?"

"Yes, origami. Though, I don't know how dextrous I would be at the task now. I remember it being very relaxing."

Gladion hums in thought. He would have sworn he– _ah_ , there. He grabs a small piece of paper sandwiched between two books, and he slips it out of its restraints and hands it to her. "Try it out. It might work out better than bending the corners of those books of yours."

Deciding that it has been enough and that he needs to sleep, Gladion turns heel and walks away from the Princess, who calls out for his name when he's halfway to the staircase. He looks at her from over his shoulder and catches sight of a small crane in her hands.

"I could teach you how this works, if-if you ever have the curiosity to learn." Lillie stammers, then breaks into a small smile. "Also, your room is on the other wing, the one with the fresh eucalyptus hanging from the door."

Of course, that's what he had come for. Gladion curses to himself, and nods.

When did he become such a distracted mess?

Gladion wishes her a good night and parts, hands in his pockets. Spending the night with the Princess of the Aedus promising to teach him origami is _not_ how he had expected the night to go, but he settles with it regardless and decides that it is not that bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "She trails off as her eyes get lost in what might be a memory, or a feeling of distress– Gladion is not sure." / "Lillie is a very sweet girl. She has no friends outside the castle, she's not allowed to leave." -- *PARADE OF RED FLAGS ENSUES*
> 
> Boy do I LOVE LILLIE and building her character little by little and BOY do I love Hau and Lillie being friends and BOY I love explaining Moon's motives even though she was a dumbass and she still made a mistake and BOY I can't wait for her to slowly grow and not be such an airhead again sigh
> 
> also Lillie's love for Moon as a little sister of some sorts it just breaks and mends my heart. Imagine being so lonely in a castle and your bodyguard becomes your big sis. I can't with their friendship. I¡m so weak for how soft Moon is for Lillie. I can't. I'm dying. help
> 
> also would all that count as a lona crumb-- I mean the next chapter has crumbs GFBDFHDUJISOM
> 
> also the Solaris Monastery is important so pls remember how peaceful and beautiful this place is in the future thank u


	7. Moonlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moon and Ilima make a seemingly inane discovery, and Gladion meets someone new. Or so he thinks, though he's not sure.

"Where is the tunnel?"

"I believe it's down this hall, Captain. Miss Moon has already gone ahead and is waiting for you. She arrived ten minutes ago and has not come out of there since. We assume she must have found something of importance."

Ilima nods and turns heel toward the small crevice. The space is very small and almost claustrophobic, but after squeezing through the crack in the cliff wall, the crevace grows wider until it has become a full-fledged corridor with oil lamps to the sides and a faint smell of incense and something _else_ hanging in the air.

He has never had the pleasure of working with Moon. He's heard that she's as unpredictable as she's efficient in the field, which doesn't bring much confidence to his side of things. Ilima isn't used to wild cards like her, much less if they are as powerful as she's rumored to be. Moon is a force to be reckoned with in Zeffarei and her presence is inescapable.

He has never had the pleasure of talking to her either, at least in personal terms, so to say he's intrigued and mildly concerned for today is an understatement.

She had discovered the tunnel in the first place, though, so he has no option but to work with her. At least, she seems to be a very decent investigator, because digging a passage like this out of nothing is a feat on its own.

Today is going to be an interesting day, that's for sure.

As he treads through the corridor, he finally spots the shadow of a figure crouching behind a gap on a wall, looking rather bored. Ilima steps behind her and she turns her head, jutting her chin in a greeting. "Good to see ya', Captain. Looking real nice today."

"Thank you. I wish I could see you in the dark and say the same," he replies, and she nods back, directing her eyes to the place before them again. "What exactly are we looking at, here?"

"Looks like a very pretty chamber for… I'm not sure what it is yet, but I sniffed there could be something flashy worth reeling out of here, and all I got was some dudes with cloaks and stuff." Her shoulders sag forward and she sighs. "So disappointing."

Ilima looks at what she's found and his eyes widen when he finds out that, indeed, three people with black and golden cloaks are standing before a book and a hearth, hands up in the air and heads pushed upwards, the murmur of a chant vibrating around the room and into the hidden corridor. There are open books scattered across the room with items he can't identify, but the situation looks fishy enough to be worth the suspicion.

In the darkness of the secret passage, Ilima's eyes barely make out Moon's movements as she begins to take out her trusty daggers, both stained with little drops of dark crimson. He does not wish to know how that got there. "We gotta dispatch them."

Much to her surprise and before she's able to even take a step out of their secret spot, Ilima is stopping her. She's never had the pleasure of working with the Captain of the Guard, but if he holds her back like this all the time, they're gonna have a tough time. The touch of his palm on her shoulder is already irritating on its own.

"Those guys look dangerous. If we stay here, we might be able to see what they are up to." His tone is calm and paused, so low she can barely hear it amid the murmurs of the bunch of guys within the room. They're speaking a language Moon clearly doesn't understand, and that frustrates her even more than Ilima holding her back.

"Captain, I'm going in. They look dangerous enough to be worth bruising a little. The more we wait, the more likely it is that other people will come in." As argumentative and stubborn as she is, it still makes him go silent. Her insistence knows no bounds. "What could we lose? They might run away!"

"Judging by that very suspicious ritual they are doing, it is safe to assume they won't be leaving for a while." His tone is very knowing and, sadly for her, very convincing. Moon brings her knuckles to her teeth, staring at the group with narrowed eyes. "And if more people come in, the more of a dent we will make. Are you sure these men are not some Blackring buccaneers?"

"Unless they got severely drunk and decided to disguise themselves as a creepy almost cult-ish group, then I'm guessing they're _not_ Blackring marauders." The Blackring often wear outfits based around black, red, purple and sometimes orange. These people have not only red, black and golden, but hats and cloaks too extravagant to belong to that almost humble group of buccaneers. "It worries me that they're so well hidden. I was only here thinking I'd find some flashy treasure."

And Moon has the feeling she's seen them before, but it could very well be her mixing colors in a uniform again like she's done countless times with pirates.

"Well, clearly these people thought the same, once upon a time." Moon huffs from under him, crouched as she surveys the situation with impatient analysis. There are four guys, three she could take if Ilima can take down the other one in time. He doesn't seem to be in a hurry at all, however. "Let's wait for a little bit more. If more people come, we will take care of them regardless. You aren't the head of Springblossom Academy for nothing."

Moon looks up from her position to see Ilima smiling at her almost teasingly, which causes her cheeks to inflate. Even with the vestiges of her everlasting smile in her eyes, his comments don't faze her. She knows what she's capable of doing; he's just provoking her. "Oh, I'll just show you all I can do later." With a smirk, letting herself be won by his compliments, she sighs. "You win this time, and I'm hoping more people come by if your assumptions are correct."

"Bloodthirsty much today, aren't we?"

Her smile becomes evident and almost toothy, smug. "I just don't like people I don't know sniffing here. I was patrolling the place and they were hiding somewhere precious. They're asking for a beating with those weird hats anyway." Moon turns from Ilima to the scene before them. The men are unaware of their presence. "Where did these weirdos come out from anyway?"

"That's what we are here to discover, I guess." His eyes remain fixed to the chamber, where the disguised figures continue chanting, moving occasionally. Nothing of interest has happened yet, but Moon looks wildly interested. "May I ask what you could be doing here, as well? The Empress only assigned my unit to the northern part of the Lunaria Plains."

Her head snaps in his direction, eyebrows disappearing under her fringe in amusement. "Now, what's that supposed to mean?" She doesn't expect an answer; after all, Ilima doesn't know her well enough yet. What little treatment they have had in the past has been merely cordial, and the impersonalities between them are vast. "I was just going around, exploring a little, I noticed this… lil' crack on the walls and I sort of jammed my way in. The ground is kinda soft here."

"So, the Empress didn't send you here?"

"Not when I found this. I was just going around, doing my thing," she explains, shrugging, looking down to the chamber again. Their spot is conveniently located close to the ceiling and behind the… cultists? Freaks? Moon doesn't know how to call them. "I really hope there's something good here. My goodwill can only be fed with a fancy little treasure and I sure as hell haven't seen one yet."

The Captain chuckles under his breath, smiling at his co-worker tenderly. "My, one would have thought you came here out of curiosity and a sense of decency."

"I came here because of that too, all right, but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna look out for something fancy. I discovered this place when I thought I was gonna find a treasure." She presses a hand to her chest. "It hurts a fair lady's heart to be led on like this."

"Well, all things considered, there is a slim chance they might be guarding a treasure of some sort." Ilima watches Moon's expression brighten. "I would not be sure about that, though. This room is oddly cozy. I wonder what it is for."

"It sorta reminds me of one of those… damn it, what's the name?" Puzzled, Ilima turns his widened eyes to Moon, whose body is bobbing up and down on her feet. "You know those cozy wooden houses? There are some in the snow, too. There's this painting with one of those by Mina Kahalea in the _Galerie des Massacres Historiques_ in Altaria Bay– I wanted Hau and Gladion to come but they didn't want to."

Her odd sudden nuance in art fascinates and stuns him for two good seconds. "I'm… afraid I have not been there. I have not had the time to travel to the Kandrus Dominion properly as of yet." Moon lets out a small puff of disappointment and keeps watch on the chamber as well. "I would have never expected a woman, um, like you to be interested in a form of art as delicate as that."

"Oh, no." She turns her eyes towards him momentarily, shrugging with one shoulder. "I was just waiting for Hau and Gladion to get there and I had a lot of time to spare, and the entrance was free. I liked the colors, so I remember it pretty well." A fair answer. Ilima nods. "It had tons of snow around it– like, _lots_. I've been traveling my whole life and I've never seen or touched snow before. Unbelievable!"

"Yes, it does sound fairly uncanny."

"Right? I gotta get some free time and make a trip to the Tundra– I've heard it's dangerous but it's whatever. I'll take Hau and Gladion with me if they don't mind fighting a few beasts on our way there. They'll complain, most likely." Ilima chuckles at her comment. Somehow, it's not hard to picture the three arguing about it. "Do you think the Tundra is as dangerous as they say? It has a kinda innocent name."

Ilima is pretty sure their starting point for this conversation has been long forgotten, but he does not mind the conversation. Moon has a natural ability to keep things going. "I don't have much of a taste when it comes to names."

"Still, do you think it's dangerous?"

"How much danger would you be willing to take on?"

"Enough for me to be thrilled and scarce enough so Gladion doesn't bury me six feet under the snow. I don't think Hau would have a problem with anything– he's kinda down to anything as long as he's got some support."

He stifles in laughter in order not to beard by the mumbling men within the room under them. "I think you would be fine, even if Gladion enjoys safety. Though he has quite an adventurous vibe within him, I think. I would not say it's as apparent as yours or Hau's, though I have not talked with Hau for much longer than two minutes, so I would not know about him."

"Ah, Hau is totally wild sometimes. Just sometimes. He's easily scared of big things, but the dude has guts. Gladion does too, I guess, but he's a worrywart. He's gotten better at it, though." Her comments become scattered and Ilima can't see her expression in the darkness of the passage, but he knows she's smiling.

Moon goes silent too soon, and she's focusing on the chamber again. Ilima's eyes are caught scanning the room, counting the books and trying to memorize the various symbols and drawings he sees scattered across the room until she grows stiff.

"Wow. Wow, _wow, wow, woah_ –" Moon hits his thigh with her palm, her voice growing wobbly and almost shocked. "Dude, that's a _kid_. They have a kid in there– they got a _child_ in there."

Ilima doesn't understand what she's getting at but tries to follow her eyes with his in an attempt to catch sight of what she means. "What are you talking about?"

"Look closer!" she hisses, pointing a trembling index in the direction of the back of the room. "Between those two bookshelves, under that weird diploma thingy– there's a _cage_ there and I think they got a kid there. That's hair, isn't it?"

The Captain follows her clues, squinting and– _oh_. "I… I believe that might be a child, yes."

"The dude in the corner– I don't know if you can see them but there's somebody between those plants," upon closer inspection, Ilima realizes there is a figure in there, turning their head continuously between the cage and the other people, "he's looking at the cage. What if the kid is _dead_?"

"Why would they harm an innocent child? What could a person so small bring anything to a scene this… extraordinary?"

"I don't know. These guys already looked sketchy and now they got a _kid_? We gotta save the kid, at least, and if we don't jump in already, we might be too late." Ilima tries to argue with her, but Moon is twirling her daggers out by the handle and pointing them at the gang, yet the prospect of a challenge has her grinning. "I'm a danger _connoisseur_. I can tell when people are dangerous and stuff! We can't let them escape, and if you don't go in, _I_ will and I'm gonna hog all the glory of the hunt for myself!"

Now, that's something Ilima cannot allow. As much as he doesn't care about fame and all, there is no way he will let the woman who humiliated him in front of the Empress take the credit for this. He can't forfeit this time.

The Captain unsheathes his sword swiftly. "You sure are a feisty one to work with, Moon."

Her grin widens. "Can't be helped. It'll be even more exciting to get the treasure from them as they watch." She daringly swings her legs over the ledge of the secret entrance without making any noise. "Go for the one in the corner and I'll take the ones in the center. I'll just knock 'em out so you can reel out some answers about all this outta' them."

Pressing himself against the wall, he watches his target with a slight frown. "You want them all for yourself?"

"You can join the party when you're done with your one-course meal. I'm gonna bounce in, though. Try not to walk between us or you might get a lil' dagger to your neck or something."

Excitement carrying itself along with her, Moon jumps into the chamber and interrupts the chanting almost immediately. The trio in the center is yelling about an intruder and telling his henchmen to attack, but she silences his orders with an impatient dagger to the neck while Ilima sprints by and takes on the one in the corner.

The fight is short but intense. Everyone in the room is an avid magic user and they don't wield any weapons, which means that Moon cannot possibly predict or fend off any weapons thrown her way, just dodge them. She runs over bookshelves and leaps off from one to kick one of the guys on the face, successfully pushing him down and causing the other to take a step back, and Moon jumps on that guy as well, kicking him to where his back hits the wall and forms a crack in the wood. She's sure she's heard some stone breaking, too.

She also realizes with some dismay that the guy she had kicked down before the one with the broken neck has caught his arm on fire from the chimney, but judging by the lack of response, he's not feeling anything right now.

When Ilima has gotten rid of the other person in the corner, he turns to see Moon trying to put out a fire with the cloak of a guy slumped over a wall, who has a widening pool of thick blood under his body. "I turn around one second and you do this? Whoever comes here later will not be happy to see this fancy carpet full of blood."

When the embers die down and the only living person is safe – probably – Moon looks around the room, dusting off her old pants and shirt, which she's rescued for this mission. She prefers her usual clothes when she's out of the Springblossom Academy, and these are the same model, except new.

"I think there's blood between the wood planks on the floor. It's not like they'll be that hurt over a stupid rug."

Ilima nods and then turns to the cage they had talked about. He can feel Moon's eyes on him like an eagle, waiting for him to give a verdict. When his shoulders twitch and he hurries to cover the cage with a rag rolled on top of it, Moon clicks her tongue.

"We cannot save everyone, sometimes," he says in a forlorn voice, looking away and choosing to direct his attention to Moon, who has rapidly forgotten about the subject and is looking for something on the floor. Ilima is happy she's resilient to occurrences like these. "What could have happened here?"

Her eyes lift from the floor to the air around them. "Don't you feel it?"

"What do you mean?"

"The air," Moon elaborates vaguely. "Y'know that feeling when you leave your bed undone while you're out of the house? Something similar."

"I am sorry to say I have never experienced something like that," Ilima replies. He has a sneaking feeling Moon might have done that once or twice. A tragically frightening feeling. "But if the air is _off_ , as you imply, perhaps they might have used the child's chi for… unusual rituals."

Moon nods her head, yet curiosity lingers in her eyes. "Unusual rituals?"

"I have read some stories about the uses of chi for spiritual purposes. Some people have tried to open portals to the Realm of the Dead and the Dark Realm on multiple occasions, all with poor results. Others have tried to make contact with the Dark Realm to obtain power, others have just performed… questionable acts under the eyes of morality. I would rather spare you the details."

"Well, all those options sound terrible, that's for sure. What you said about the Dark Realm is what I was thinking." Moon folds her arms, drumming her fingers against her forearm. "They didn't look like they were trying to contact the dead or, I don't know, speak to Arceus or obtain the ultimate recipe for chicken soup."

"Why would anyone sacrifice a child just for a small recipe of soup that one can buy in a market?"

"I don't know, people can get desperate about the smallest of things," she responds plainly. "We should get out of here and report what we've seen to your troops. Whatever this is, it's worth telling the Empress that something fishy could be going on. I got a bad feeling about this."

In spite of the case being momentarily closed, her eyes are still darting around the room, inspecting the half-destroyed furniture.

"You look dismayed. And upset."

Moon grits her teeth, pinching her mouth in a small pout. "I don't see any treasures here. They were so well hidden for absolutely nothing. It's ridiculous."

The Captain laughs at her comment and shrugs it off as a joke, unaware that she's actually very serious. "Let us go, then. I think we cannot take that man out of here, so we shall leave him there."

Moon nods but looks behind her. Her eyes are lost in the room as Ilima takes a chair from a close desk and drags it to stand right under the secret entrance. "I… still can't believe there was nothing good in here. I wanted to get some jewels for a necklace."

"A necklace?" Moon nods as he climbs out of the room, and when he offers her a hand, she rejects it with a wave of her hand. Ilima scoots away so she can come out. "I have never seen you wear a necklace in the few times we have met."

"They're uncomfy to fight with, but the Empress has told me my meeting outfits are 'unsightly' and 'worn by nobodies outside the Aedus Empire'. I'd say she hurt my feelings if I understood what she's talking about." A grunt bounces out of her throat as she jumps up and pushes herself out, a bit slower than Ilima. "The Empress got some… weird issues."

"... I am going to pretend I have not heard you, even though I absolutely agree."

"Why, Captain, scared I'll tell the Empress you find her ridiculous sometimes?" The Captain throws her a rare narrowed stare at which Moon grins brilliantly. "Don't think I didn't see you almost _cry_ when she told you to cut your hair."

Ilima and Moon are walking through the passage, her expression mildly smug as he rubs the back of his neck, his usual peaceful and pleasant expression turned on its head. "The Empress has a preference for side trims. I will admit that having my bags to the side like this is… strangely good-looking, wouldn't you agree?"

Moon's eyes swing towards him, and his eyes are staring intently into hers as if to convey a certain message that she can't see. Her gaze is blank against his as she inspects his side bangs, pastel pink and looking soft to the touch.

"I can't tell. I'm not a hair specialist. It looks good, I guess," she replies indifferently.

She misses the way his shoulders sag down in response to that and continues walking forward. Ilima initially considers her to be in a hurry because she's worried about the mission. "In any case, we are done here for today, so you are dismissed- unless you want to come with us to the Blackring Shipyard."

"Eh?" She blinks into focus again, shifting her eyes to his. "The Blackring Shipyard, you said?"

"Well, not exactly. It would take us a day and a half to get there, and I do not think we will get very close to the actual Shipyard. If anything, we are headed there to investigate its surroundings."

The offer is tempting and hard to say no to. She could placate her current disappointment at the lack of treasures with whatever she might find during Ilima's scouting. After all, she's not appointed to this mission officially, so she has no obligation to stick to the group if she decides to go.

However, something of a higher priority comes to her mind.

"Nah, I'll pass this time. The Empress might send Hau and Gladion on a mission or something and I'd like to tune in for that. If she sends them away, I may tag along. I guess I'll see," she explains with a small smile.

Moon can already picture Gladion's frustrated expression if she announces that she will go with them. That will be delightful to see. They might be on civil terms, but ruffling his feathers and getting a laugh out of Hau for that is always worth it.

Ilima's eyes have become round in realization. "Right. Are you going to tell Hau and Gladion about what we just saw?" Her silence shows that she's clueless as to what he's talking about, so he elaborates. "Ultimately, we made some worrying findings. If we are going to report this to the Empress, will you do the same with your friends?"

A splash of recognition dawns on her and changes her expression completely, shifting it from impassiveness to sharp realization. Charcoal eyes blink quickly in search of an answer, and when she delivers one, it's uncharacteristically quiet.

"And let those two freak out over it? No, I'll pass." She takes a hand to her forehead and groans, dissolving then to a sigh. "They'll just get all anxious and worried about it, especially Hau. I wouldn't wanna scare the guy for nothing. I bet this is just an isolated incident."

Ilima's perfectly trimmed eyebrows lift in surprise. "Do you, really?"

"Of course not," she says between gritted teeth, turning to leave. "But they don't need to know that. Not yet, at least. It's not that important anyway. I'd rather let Hau sleep at night than have him worry about something that hasn't happened yet."

Ilima stares at her with a candid smile, recognizing a certain gentleness in her words. Gladion might have been right all along: Moon truly is one handful of a woman.

* * *

Gladion and Hau have spent the whole day walking around Zeffarei. Most of the time, Hau got distracted by something peculiar in a certain building and would babble on and on about it for a while. It's a tendency that Gladion particularly dislikes, but he's learned to listen and accept that sometimes in life, Arceus would give him what he wanted, and sometimes it wouldn't.

Hau is particularly versed in food and spices. When they went to the market, which Hau had already toured several times, he showed Gladion a stand that sold a hundred types of spices– something that Gladion didn't think was possible.

"Dude, imagine having all of _these_ in your kitchen! That would be _so_ cool!"

The other was highly skeptical, though. Gladion considers himself a rather passable cook; he used to cook at Faba's house when he was too tired or grumpy to even touch a pot. He doesn't have a particular specialty, but he knows how to cook a pair of the basics and that's always been enough for him to survive.

So, the idea of having so many things in a kitchen, as a pragmatic man he is, sounds ridiculous. "Would you use all of them?"

"You never know if you'll have a picky guest! You gotta be ready for everything in life!"

His meager sense of practicality isn't news to Gladion, but he still let it pass. Hau probably has around double the taste buds that Gladion has, so it's safe to assume he will always know best in terms of flavor.

During this heated discussion, however, a vendor approached Hau and informed him that a contest of spice tasting would be held that same night, startling Hau greatly because, as the latter had informed the vendor and Gladion with eager shouting, he _adores_ spicy foods, even more so if they are sweet.

Coming down from his high, Hau had made a morally questionable question. "I'm guessing you won't have spicy malasadas, right?"

Gladion's nose wrinkles in disgust. "Hau, that sounds gross."

"Dude, nothing's gross if you cook it with care and lotsa love!" The blond's face retches disdain for the idea, but the sorcerer ignores it. "Anyway, you don't have those, right?"

"Malasadas? Do you mean those pastries from the Kandrus Empire at the south?" An enthusiastic nod. "Kid, I dunno how would anyone think that's even edible, so I don't think so– but there's gonna be a _lot_ of food anyway. I can tell Aiko to cook something similar for ya' if you win."

"I don't know who Aiko is but I already love her!" Hau turns to Gladion, grinning from ear to ear. "Imma go to that contest and win us a _lot_ of money! And sweets, of course, but you ain't gonna want me to share." The other shakes his head in confirmation. "I'll see you at the Bellossom Inn, then! You better grab me the best bedroom in the inn, don't be greedy!"

Deciding that he will be left fine on his own, Gladion turns heel and walks away from him, waving as he leaves. "Don't get indigestion, I guess."

He doesn't know if Hau heard him– his feet have long thumped away and he had said his half-baked wishes in a very low voice, so he decides to simply hope he won't come back to the inn with an upset stomach. That would be unfortunate, and it's not like Gladion will be happy to take care of him like a nurse. Moon wouldn't be happy about it either.

Right as he's thinking about her, a familiar figure is treading through the gates of Zeffarei, lonely in the night. When she lifts her eyes to see him, she looks surprised, but then the expression falls to portray a smirk. "I thought I told you that muggers got a knack for l guys like you."

"And I'm sure I'm taller than you, as well," he bites back, shoving his hands into his pockets.

He notices that her eyes are a little too wide despite the hours they exist on. She nods with a smirk, for sure not buying his comment. "Like I'd let any of those scummy guys get close to me. I already had enough of those today." Her smirk grows, eyes on him again. "You're just bitter about yesterday, but it's okay! I'll let you take the guys I leave untouched."

"Knowing you, you wouldn't even let me get a hand on them, lest I grab the money you would fish out of their pockets."

Moon rolls her eyes with a slight shake of her head. "As pleasant as always to talk to, I see." They are standing in the middle of the street and the dead of the night. She hops from one foot to another, from side to side. "Where are you headed to? And where's Hau, by the way?"

"Bellossom Inn. And Hau is attending a spice contest or something like that. He's going stuff his stomach with a lot of food, that would be the gist of it."

"I forgot to tell him about the contest yesterday. My bad." Moon nods to herself but seems complacent. "Also, I'll walk you to the inn. Wouldn't want the bad guys to bully you," she says with a grin, indicating that she's clearly joking. Before he can say anything in response, she groans as she rolls her neck back and forth. "Look at me, on bodyguard duty this late in the night. Preposterous, as you'd say."

Gladion releases a breathless chuckle, barely a puff of air. "You're here earlier than I expected."

"I'm a highly efficient warrior, you see." Her tone isn't exactly boastful, but the sole confidence that her words exude is enough for him to want to groan. She's walking with springs and stretches of her legs, whereas he simply treads calmly through the pavemented path of Zeffarei's main street, now empty. Her steps are the only thing he can hear. "Besides, it was a pretty easy task. Nothing I can't handle."

"The Princess informed me that you were off to investigate the Lunaria Plains." Moon nods beside him, her figure bobbing up and down in his peripheral vision as she jumps, stretches, and twirls to probably get rid of the tension in her muscles.

She looks very restless. Too much. He doesn't know how to comment on that without looking concerned, because he's ashamed to admit he actually might be worried; and he's bad at talking, which she's not doing right now.

She fills in the silence naturally again, soon enough. "It went great. We did some interesting stuff." Simple. Succinct. To the point. Very much unexpected from her– but it's around 2 in the morning and both of them have proper license to be a bit off at this point. His patience is just hanging from a thread. Maybe that's why he finds the response awkward. And incomplete.

It suddenly feels unfair that she gets to always ask about his business but he doesn't have the patience to ask her about hers; and whenever he does ask, she's playfully dodgy about it and never gives a clear answer. Sometimes, he wonders how much of it is play-pretend and how much of it is a secret.

Gladion doesn't want to ask, so he doesn't, and minds his own business. "Right. I hope you didn't make too much noise."

"You know I'm the fastest warrior alive, Gladbag. How can you even doubt my stealth?"

"Considering you got caught by pirates, I wouldn't call you the fastest by any means."

From the corner of his eyes, he sees her arch an eyebrow in his direction, but she doesn't say anything in response and instead laughs to herself. "C'mon, don't be salty about me not letting you board my cool ship–"

" _Stolen_ ship," he deadpans.

"I promise I'll let you steer whatever ship I take next. We can do the pinky promise thing, if you're so bitter about it," Moon snickers, offering him her pinky, but he can tell in her mocking smile that Moon knows he won't go through with the act, so she lowers her hand, showing him a grin. "Aw, still not a fan of pinky promises?"

"I have no intention to humor your attempts to steal others' property like that. You got away with it once, I doubt you will do so twice." And considering she had had difficulties the first time, the probability of success is fairly slim.

By how she's looking at him he can tell she's thinking about what to say about that, but after a weirdly long time of waiting, Moon hums, chuckling. "I wouldn't doubt the abilities of a fair lady like me so much."

"I actually don't, but you breaking the legality of a whole Empire again is what concerns me. You always end up dragging me down with you somehow."

Another grin. "You say it like it wasn't fun!"

"It actually wasn't."

It's easy, sharing quips with her like this. It might be easier to go along with her temporary hysteria she has for a life instead of fighting it. He doesn't know if experience has made her less annoying or if his new method of dealing with things has made the notion more bearable, but he doesn't realize they're right in front of the Bellossom Inn until she mentions it off-handedly.

Far from leaving, though, she jumps three steps up the flat, wide steps to the building. The warm lights coming from inside create a stark contrast with the night sky staring down on them, and coat Moon's arms with orange. "C'mon, Gladbag. Someone's gotta get his beauty sleep or he'll be all sore and grumpy in the morning."

Gladion's eyebrows sink in irritation. "Shall I ask what are you here for?"

"A friend of mine works here– she's super nice. I'll just drop by, say hello and that's it. I'm not paid to bodyguard little chicken-haired boys."

"I'm older and _taller_ than you!" He doesn't say anything about the hair because then he will remember Faba and he doesn't want that, stop, _stop–_

Moon shrugs. "Don't worry about that! Just wait until I get my diet in check and I start drinking milk again," she claims, walking and jumping backward to go upstairs while Gladion very leisurely climbs them at his own pace. "They say Zeffarei's milk comes from pink cows. Would the milk be pink, too?"

"You got the imagination of a kid, sometimes."

Her jumping halts so tautly that Moon nearly falls forward and onto him, but she doesn't. She releases a laugh that brings the word 'nervous' to mind. He wonders what's up with that.

The Bellossom Inn is a relatively big building compared to everything he's seen outside Zeffarei, but it's rather standard within it. The walls are red and filled with copper ornaments, and there are jars of flowers everywhere the eyes can reach. The small area between the entrance and the stairs is covered by a glass ceiling supported by bamboo pillars, and there are delicate glass tables with wrenched metal. He guesses this would be a nice spot to have some tea in the afternoon.

Moon pushes the double doors open and instant warmth wraps him into a hug. Separated by a thin paper curtain, there is a small hallway to his left and the tavern to the right– but the place is so elegantly decorated that calling it a _tavern_ sounds too colloquial.

She beckons at him to follow her into the cafeteria. He refuses to call it anything but that. "Hello? I never knew you closed doors this late, Wicke."

 _Wicke_?

A faraway voice comes from the back, behind the drink bar. "One second! I will be there in a minute."

That voice… he swears he's heard it before. His stomach curls and he puts his hand on the spot over his dark shirt instinctively, not knowing how to deal with the feeling.

A small figure comes out from the back. She closes the door and wobbles in their direction. The first thing that Gladion notices is the color of the woman's hair, purple on top of more purple, curled impossibly to form a cloud of hair around her pale face, framed by a pair of round glasses, bright and in contrast of the white dress she wears. Her hands hold a notepad that she's scribbling on furiously.

When she lifts her eyes, he discovers them to be green. "Fancy seeing you here tonight, Moon. I heard around that you were taking care of things in the Lunaria Plains with the aid of Captain Ilima."

Moon smiles cheekily. "That I was! I'm just here to drop my buddy in your care. He's gotta get some sleep or he'll haunt my dreams and my nightmares."

Gladion, strangely enough, says nothing in response. Wicke looks up from her notepad and turns to the visitor, yet when she's about to speak, words seem to have dried up in her throat and blood has been drained from her face all too quickly, staring at him aimlessly for a good minute where nobody says anything.

Wicke mouths something that neither Moon or Gladion can catch, face disbelieving and fingers twitching in mid-air.

Suspicious, hands on her hips, Moon calls for Wicke gently, and the woman snaps out of it right away. "S-Sorry! I'm surprised to see a guest so… late in the night." Her tone is light and breathy, nervously fidgeting with the hem of her oversized sleeves. "You are looking for a room, I suppose?"

"Yeah, I am. I need two rooms. My companion, named Hau, will want another later." Gladion clears his throat. Moon watches Wicke bend down and fumble for a key in a drawer. "Sorry for my bluntness but… do we know each other, by any chance?"

Wicke almost bangs her head against the counter as she looks up again all too quickly. Her hand is furiously playing with the keys in her hand, and Moon knows her to be a very calm and collected woman– what's wrong with her tonight?

"I… don't think so. I am sure I would remember a face like yours," Wicke says awkwardly, dropping the keys gently on Gladion's awaiting hand. "I hope you have a good night. Please, do contact me for anything you need."

And with that, Wicke shuffles away from sight under Moon's perplexed stare and Gladion's knit eyebrows, confused about what exactly could have happened in that woman's head to create such a stammered conversation. Judging by Moon's expression of puzzlement, it seems like he is right to be suspiciously aware of her behavior: something is not right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ilima: do you like my hair Miss Moon. I clearly admire your work you're so powerful. Am I pretty  
> Moon: I am immune to your flirting. I do not recognize your attempt to flirt with me. I am not a hairdresser. Your hair looks like hair.  
> Ilima: I-
> 
> I really, really, really, love Ilima and Moon as a dynamic, of which we'll see more in the future so just get a taste now. 
> 
> Also Gladion starting to care about Moon little by little _GOD I LOVE SLOWBURN DEVELOPMENT HNHNNNNNNNNG_ Also introducing Wicke who may or may not know Gladion HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM man I love Wicke and I'm v happy she's here because she's pretty important to the plot so /dabs
> 
> NEXT TIME WE READ EACH OTHER IT'S GONNA BE 2020 so I'll be posting a NYE fic and I'll post on the 1st and NEXT CHAPTER WE'RE KICKING OFF TO A NEW PART OF THIS ARC WHAT A GREAT WAY TO START 2020
> 
> SOOOO HAPPY NEW YEARS SEE YOU LATER


	8. Mahogany and Quartz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion, Moon and Hau are given their next mission: take down the Blackring Company. Somehow, Gladion thinks that's a little too big, and Moon thinks it's a little too small; all while helping Hau out of something more personal than all that.

Much to Gladion's surprise, Lusamine summons them to the throne room again the following day. She has just come back from a field trip to somewhere he can't bother to remember, and she has news for them, it seems. The thought of _news_ coming from the Empress should mean stress, but really, it only brings joy to his soul that someone so high up the food chain is willing to spare him more than a minute of her day.

And judging by the haste with which she seems to want to see them, it might as well look like she wants something more from them. What little Gladion knows about the Empress is enough to tell him something is up, for when he wakes up, there is a guard in the inn asking for him and Hau. Gladion doesn't even know when or if Hau had made it to the inn safely, but then he sees him nearly falling down the stairs, not ill like he had anticipated but almost broken from head to toe.

The guard informs them that they are being expected in the royal palace, so they have a quick breakfast – courtesy of Wicke by a waiter's words, though the woman herself is nowhere to be found – in the cafeteria of the inn. Delicious galettes with fresh juice are brought to them, and while Hau is in the middle of gulping down two croissants at the same time after Gladion had asked him to _please not do that_ , they are also delivered something else, albeit a bit less pleasing than food.

Leaning on the thin paper divider that separates the hall from the cafeteria, Moon knocks on the wooden frame with a smile. "Good morning, brave warriors of the Aedus Empire. You look energized today!"

Hau nods and barks out a _hello_ , gulping the two treats. Gladion's eyebrows immediately pinch. "What are you up to now? You're too chipper this morning. It's scary."

Moon walks to their table and crouches to be at the table's level. "I'm here on duty, you see, and those croissants look very, very tasty."

"Dude, help yourself." With a grin, Moon immediately snatches one from the tray and bites down on the corner. At least she's not putting butter on them, so Gladion's stomach is saved for now. "Apparently, breakfast's on the house today or something. The waiter just brought us all this stuff and I ain't gonna reject somethin' this good."

"Wicke probably set this up for you two, she's too nice. Or maybe it was the Empress who told her to invite you two, but that'd be weird. Wicke hasn't worked in the royal palace for _ages_."

Hau's eyes widen like saucers. "Dude, she worked in the royal palace? That's _insane_."

"Not so much, considering Moon works there now," deadpans Gladion, successfully dodging Moon as she tries to backhand his forehead. Hau sputters out a laugh.

"I got no idea about what happened but she knows how to cook, like, really well. I think she has some books from the royal library about cooking that she never returned– oh, and also medicine, she _loves_ that stuff," Moon explains. She swats some crumbs off her black cheongsam, which Gladion notes she had not been wearing the day before. "Anyway, where was I?"

Gladion opens a croissant and applies some jam in it. The shudder he sees go through Moon is surprisingly pleasant. "Something about being here on duty."

"Ah! Right." The woman reaches back to an empty table and drags a chair to the table, sitting with her chest on the back of the seat, arms propped up. "The Empress told me I had to escort you to the palace for whatever reason, she's being ridiculous. Looks like I'm a babysitter now. As if you didn't know where the palace is– y'know, _the biggest building in the whole Empire_."

"You sure are all over the place, eh?" comments Hau, earning a small nod from her. "At least you got some sleep tonight, I guess. I didn't get a blink of sleep last night. I'm gonna collapse in the middle of the meeting and that ain't gonna be cool."

Gladion sighs as he cuts bites into his croissant. "I told you to be careful with the food. You and Moon just won't listen to a word I say, will you?"

"Gladbag, you're such a grandpa sometimes. It was just one night! No need to throw a fit!" says Hau, his body shaking with laughter as Gladion clicks his tongue at the comment.

Moon snorts into her palm, and when the blond slides his eyes towards her, her shoulders are shaking. "As if he'll ever even have children. He's got too much edge for that."

A knife dangerously twirls in his hand. "Like you'll have any, either!"

Hau laughs along to the banter, and soon enough, Moon advises they get going to the palace. The Empress only has so much patience until she starts getting angry and paying it with the staff, so for their sake, they must arrive there as soon as possible. Hau wobbles out of his chair, clearly full of food but very much awake.

They make their way down the stairs of the inn. "Hau, I'll just tell you that if you puke on the Empress or the rugs of her palace, she will drop dead on the spot."

Gladion, hands in his pockets, throws a puzzled glance at the two, who walk a step behind him. "Why did you mention the rugs as if they were more important?"

"Dresses can be washed, but the rugs have to be hand-cleaned and the Empress loses her shit anytime someone with dirty shoes steps into the palace– which, I mean, is a rather respectable thing to be picky about, but whenever anything gets dirty, things get bad in the palace," Moon explains, then turns to Hau. "So, if you even _dare_ spit on her rug, walls, or just _anywhere_ close to the palace, run for your life."

Hau grimaces, tensing up immediately. "Dude, I didn't think I'd have to say this about the Empress, but… _yikes_."

"Yeah, it's sorta weird. Lillie doesn't have it that bad with it at least, so that's good." After a small pause, Gladion hears Hau suddenly tumble after she has, supposedly, elbowed him to a side. "And you were getting along _super_ well with her the other day, weren't you? All smiling and laughing."

Gladion stops for a second to check Hau's reaction to Moon's blatant teasing. Her face is drawn into a grin so big and evil it barely fits in her face, eyes crinkled and sparkling in his direction. The sorcerer is inherently confused by what she's talking about– and being left in the sidelines like this, catching all the hidden meanings in Moon's eyes, he has no option but to swallow the need to scream at Hau's too innocent face that _yes, they had looked very sweet and candid together_.

"Man, Lillie is totally sweet and stuff. I had lotsa fun talkin' to her," he says firmly, yet by the way he darts his eyes back and forth, he's not sure if he's responding to her insinuations. "She's kinda shy, too. I feel kinda bad for how the Empress treats her, but I guess she must be doing all this to protect her, right?"

"The Empress is protective, yeah. That's a very reasonable answer," she says, nodding, and then turning to Gladion, who now stands a bit closer to them, in front of Moon with his head craned over his shoulder. "What do _you_ think, though?"

The blond arches an eyebrow. "Me?"

"Yeah, you, Gladbag." His expression shrinks into a deadpan. "What do you think about Lillie? She told me you and her talked yesterday."

Hau's mouth parts in surprise. "Dude, really? What did you two talk about?"

"Nothing serious. I told her about all we did and stuff, very much including Moon flipping the finger at us on top of a stolen ship. She laughed at that." Nobody laughs, though, but Hau hums and overlooks the subject. "Anyway, why is my opinion so important?"

"It's not important– just a matter of having different perspectives."

"Will you use this against me in the near future?"

Much to his demise, she smiles in response. "You'll never know."

Sighing, he decides to talk regardless. "I guess she's sweet and all that. I don't have the most elaborate opinion on her yet, I met her yesterday after all, and we barely talked. I definitely didn't have a conversation as, um, _deep_ as Hau might have had with her." He turns from Moon to Hau now. "She's right, though. You spent a while talking on the way back to Zeffarei, too."

The other puts his hands behind his head. "What can I say? I'm into good conversations! And Lillie is a pretty interesting gal' too!" His eyes immediately brighten, and he leaps to Gladion's side, forcing Moon to leap forward too so the three for a uniform line. "Did you know she's a sorcerer too? She's practicing, apparently! That's so cool!"

"A sorcerer?" Gladion asks, skeptical. He looks at Moon for confirmation, and she nods. "That's a rather dangerous profession for a girl as young and sheltered as her."

Moon says something along the lines of _she's 19 but go off I guess_ and Gladion ignores it.

"The Empress is a sorcerer, too! They call her the Grand Enchantress– that's _so_ dope. Her mom wants her to like, get lots of chi for some reason. I mean, sorcerers need lots of chi to be efficient, so it makes sense," Hau swings his eyes towards Moon now. "Has she had like, actual training? I wouldn't mind training her at all!"

"Hm, I don't think so, but it's not like the Empress would let her daughter train with an uncertified sorcerer from a faraway land, as much of a hero they might be." Hau's form sags in response, as though his soul has been sucked away with that reply. Moon snickers. "She's studying pretty hard, yeah. I'm sure she'll be just like the Empress when she grows up."

"Without the obsessive cleaning, I guess?"

"You never know, Hau, you never know."

Between conversations, several quips and a failed attempt from Moon to get Gladion to laugh with a terrible joke – _what's a cereal box with a knife? A cereal killer!_ – they arrive at the palace's stairs. Hau is still laughing to himself about the joke while Gladion wonders what he could have done in past lives to deserve the punishment of having Moon on his back like this.

"C'mon, Gladbag. You're just angry because it was an excellent joke." Gladion turns to her with an expression of pure confusion. "Actually, I'll admit that the joke wasn't mine, but Captain Ilima's. And he told me this morning me to 'communicate it to Gladion at shortest notice'. He thought you'd find it funny."

"Well, I _didn't_."

Hau has recovered from his laughing fit halfway up the stairs. "Dude, that wasn't that bad. You gotta let the joke get to you or you won't laugh like, ever!"

"Hau, you almost fell to the ground. People _stared_ at us."

Moon grins at the sorcerer. "Yeah, I know the joke was great but I never thought it'd make you laugh that loudly. I know a weak spot now!"

"It ain't like it's a bad weak spot to have, though!"

Gladion guesses he's right about that– it's not like the enemy will ever stop and think of a joke to distract Hau; well, unless they are too stupid or too smart to consider such idea. At least Hau has made it to the palace with his stomach in one place and he doesn't look like he's going to barf his whole breakfast onto the Empress or her carpet, so Gladion wonders if Moon made that terrible joke to aid Hau's weakened stomach.

Now, that _would_ be smart. And that also accomplished the goal of planting the idea in his brain that Moon tells terrible jokes. What a surprise.

When they enter the throne room, Lusamine is waiting for them, sitting on the throne with the same dress from the day before. Lillie is also beside her, instantly waving at the warriors with a smile, whereas the Empress simply peers at them with a stare, not necessarily stern but devoid of Lillie's raw happiness.

"It certainly is good to see you again, warriors." Hau and Gladion bow their heads towards her. Her evergreen eyes turn to Moon. "And I see you have escorted them here safely, albeit they are a little bit late."

Moon leaves their side and greets the woman with a small bow of her head, too, approaching Lillie. "Sorry about that. I'd say that was caused by Hau's upset stomach, though. You should know I'm never late."

Hau tenses up in that same moment as Lusamine's eyes narrow in his direction. Gladion knows now that Moon must have a sadistic spunk within her. "Hm. I hope you feel better soon, sweet Hau. If you need to use the restroom, please head there immediately."

Her attempt at a gentle tone makes a shiver run down Gladion's back– and it bores Hau even worse, who gulps and nods a few too many times. "Y-Yes, Ma'am!"

"Good. Now that that's been discussed, we should talk about why I summoned you here today." The Empress presses her stare on Moon's face, who turns to her as soon as the woman begins talking. "Moon, you told me you three had attempted to raid one of the Blackring Company's bases in the Kandrus Dominion, correct?"

Moon nods and looks at Gladion and Hau as they listen on. "Yeah. I have no idea if we succeeded or failed; the Outpost went up in flames in like, minutes, and when I was free to run away, I took the ship and ran away with the wind." Coughing, she throws a glance at Gladion that he rolls his eyes at. Moon smiles. "I'd say that since we're alive, we sorta succeeded. We gathered little to no intel, though."

"Yes, I feared that had been the case." Lusamine's tone isn't disappointed, but it certainly is dismayed. "The Blackring is gaining very toxic notoriety throughout our Dominion. I know their influence is… rather rampant in the Kandrus Empire, and spies have informed me of the high possibility that they have formed an alliance with the Emperor. Do you know if this could be true?"

Gladion nods vehemently. "We can confirm it. We have heard various officials discussing this fact and I have seen them myself acting according to this… let's call it _lenient_ behavior."

"Well, then that certainly complicates things for us," declares Lusamine. Her tone remains hard, like what Gladion would expect from an Empress, but it has a familiar ring to it that he can't shake off. It might be that she reminds him of Faba in more ways than one. Her eyes are focused on a spot of the room, thoughtful. "I am looking into ways to take down the Company and get rid of their reign of terror in our beautiful Empire. Lucky as we are, most of the regions in the north are too cold for them to dare approach, but our ecosystem is suffering a lot because of their senseless pillaging."

A nod comes from Lillie herself. "They have tried to enter the suburbs of Zeffarei plenty of times. Captain Ilima informed us of a certain drug they are trafficking with in dark spots of the Dominion."

"Yes, as my daughter said here," Lusamine responds, yet a smidge dismissedly. "I fear that they might one day discover a way into the facilities of the Solaris Monastery and try to pillage the relics hidden within them. Certain relics in this part of the continent in specific cannot be touched unless for very proper purposes, and the Blackring will put them to ill use."

"Wait, what sorta relics are we talkin' about?" asks Hau out of the blue, his expression troubled at what the Empress had just said. "D'you mean those amulets? The ones storing chi?"

The Empress nods. It's very new for Gladion to feel so out of the loop, but the woman quickly explains the situation to them. "There are several relics in our continent that hold a tremendous amount of power within them, most of it being chi. I don't know much about them other than the basics. I believe they were used by ancient sorcerers to restore their powers quickly."

"Yeah, I don't know much either," continues Hau, seemingly believing that Lusamine had tried to strike a conversation with him. "But I guess we can ask around or something. What are we here for, though?"

Lillie giggles from behind Moon, causing the latter to shake her head with a smile. "You are so eager, Hau."

Before Hau can reply, Lusamine hits the arm of her throne with her hand. "Lillie, dear, don't interrupt the adults while they are talking." The fine edge in the voice of the Empress makes the hairs at the back of his head stand up. "If the Blackring Company is directly associated with the Kandrus, then neither my troops or I can do anything about it."

Gladion frowns, folding his arms. "Why so?"

"A long time ago, the Aedus Empire signed a contract with the Kandrus Empire to ensure that we would not meddle with each other's affairs. A treaty so each toddler keeps their games in their own playground." The way she words things leads Gladion to believe she had _not_ signed this contract. "And, being frank, I don't have any intention to enter a war with the Kandrus. Their lands are for the most part deserted, I have no interest in their territories."

"But, if the Kandrus Dominion is sneaking troops into this Empire, wouldn't that mean some sort of treason to the treaty?" that's Hau, asking the right questions one at a time.

And this one is one which Moon can answer. "Not necessarily. We can't prove that the Kandrus are sending them, and for the most part, as Gladb– _Gladion_ said earlier, they are letting them do their thing, but not encouraging things earlier. It's complicated."

The Empress nods in agreement. "However, if we dared touch them, as an associate to the Kandrus Empire, we would also enter a war with them _and_ the Empire." A heavy sigh, more irritated than worried, Gladion notices. "The war would be won easily, but I hold no interest in involving myself or my troops with wars as stupid as these. I don't have the time to tamper with warfare, as much as several chancellors have advised me against this idea."

Hau gulps. "Yikes, that sounds so bad." Lillie and Gladion agree, nodding. "So… that means the Empire can't tackle them head-on, right?"

"Not at the moment. I have other more important affairs to attend to, like training my precious daughter" Lillie nods eagerly at this, "or ruling this Empire. This issue can't wait, however, so that means I will have to resort to… external forces."

Oh.

 _Oh_.

Of course. "And with those external forces… you mean _us_ , right?"

Lusamine nods in Gladion's direction, but Lillie has something to say. "Mother! You cannot send a couple of independent warriors in a task as tremendous as this! It will end in disaster!"

"A couple?" Moon turns to Lillie, arching an eyebrow with a cheeky smile. "I don't think so, Princess."

The blonde catches the meaning instantly. "Wait… you are going too?"

That's exactly what Gladion was going to ask, and by the looks of it, so was Hau. The assassin nods, grinning. "Obviously. It's been a long, _long_ while since we hung out together, and we work best as a trio! Besides, I'm not known for turning down an offer this good!"

Gladion's voice grows stale. "Nobody invited you."

"I'm inviting myself," she says with a cheeky grin. "You're saying it as if you wouldn't miss me there and I _refuse_ to accept such a reality!"

Gladion mutters something like _she's in denial_ , but it lacks so much bite Moon doesn't hear it or she ignores it. She might have a point.

" _Dude_ , it'd be awesome if you came along! It's so much fun to go around with ya'!" exclaims Hau, oozing an excitement that Gladion dreads with a passion. "What about your academy and all that stuff?"

Given her total lack of reaction and how her smug grin remains untouched, she has that covered. "I'll sort something out! Can't leave the badass awesome trio hanging like this! Besides, I refuse to let you two take any fancy bounties from my hands. Absolutely not."

Gladion should have known that there would be a catch. Considering how long it took her to mention the treasures, though, she might want to come with them out of genuine interest, which for some reason puts him at ease. "Well, calling us a trio would imply we are organized, and that is a fairly questionable fact."

"No matter how organized you three are," steps in Lusamine, clearing her throat, "I rely on you to carry this out and find a solution to all of this. Moon has proved her skills, and I believe you – Hau and Gladion, have done the same. As I know this will eventually come to an end, do feel free to explore the rest of the Dominion as you please and gather help if necessary."

The Empress, a hand under her chin, regards Moon with a very small smile, which Gladion believes must come out of relief. "You failed last time, but do you think you three are able enough to carry the burden?"

Gladion sees the change in her posture almost as the words reach her: she stiffens, but it's not the sort of tension from a load falling on her shoulders, but rather a thrill that pushes her to stand up firmer, and when she looks at them again, there is firm belief and a star behind her coal eyes.

"Wouldn't trust anyone else with something this fishy, lemme tell you."

His eyes, then, fall on Lillie like a force of gravity. Her face has turned sour in evident worry, thin eyebrows pinched in the middle and sunken over hooded eyes, mouth a thin line. It is evident that, in this room, there is somebody of substantial importance who thinks this to be too dangerous.

But the Empress is blatantly ignoring this.

Gladion wonders _why_.

"If that is the case, then you are free to leave tomorrow, or tonight." The Empress shifts, then gets up. "Lillie, dear, bring me the small chest on top of that table."

Lusamine points to a small glass table by the door to the right, and the Princess hurries to grab the small chest. As Gladion watches her come back and hand it to her mother – action that is met with a pet on her head, he takes in the number of beady gems spread along the surface of the golden chest. It looks like a jewelry box.

As Lusamine approaches them, Gladion and Hau get closer, too.

"In order to have quick access past any guards in the Verdant Pastures, you must carry these insignias with you." The chest opens with a click, and within it are three small plaques made of silver. Leaves and a lion with beams of carved sunlight gleam under the grand lights of the throne room. "Feel free to take them. You should take it as well, Moon, just to be sure."

There is something familiar in the design he sees, but he takes the insignia regardless. Moon takes one, as well, and Hau also gets one for himself.

* * *

"We can head to the Verdant Pastures– there's a town to the north, close to the mountains. A retired monk lives there, so he might throw some light on what the Empress mentioned today."

"Ya' mean the relics?"

A nod. "We can figure something out from there. He could have some tips about pirate fighting, too, so we got nothing to lose."

They say all of this as they tread into the vast market of Zeffarei, and it's nighttime now. They have spent the whole day shopping for supplies in Zeffarei and waiting for Moon to sort out her 'busy woman academic business', as she had eloquently put it, and they had agreed to meet up with Lillie as well. When they had it all done, the sun had already sunken into the sky, and Gladion is becoming increasingly aware that the days are getting shorter as they transition from blissful summer and into sweet autumn.

The market is busy at night. Hau has insisted several times that the official name for the market is _Driftveil Market_ but it goes amiss for everyone: Lillie is busy looking at a stand full of books, and then is scurrying to another selling herbs while Moon treads behind her at an uncharacteristically slow pace. It's interesting to see Moon on duty, walking so slowly and taking things almost too easy.

Hau strouts to his side. "They make a kinda weird combo, right? Lillie and Moon."

"Yeah. I'm almost surprised Moon hasn't hopped to the ceiling of any of these stands to take a nap– maybe not a nap, but she would not stick around so closely either."

Gladion's eyes also drift to where Lillie is. Her interest in herbs is surprising. He wouldn't have expected someone of her caliber to be interested in matters that only professionals would understand. Gladion himself has a burning passion for that matter, in fact, and seeing how Lillie looks over the arrangement of herbs, then does the same thing again and _suddenly_ pulls her hands to the hem of her dress, his eyebrow twitches.

Her face is drawn in a manner that he knows his would: eyebrows knit, hands fidgeting to play with something, eyes scanning the product before her.

He's crazy, right? It can't be.

It just can't be.

And even if it _was_ , nobody would believe him. What are the odds, anyway?

Thankfully, Hau distracts him fairly quick. "There's a blacksmith there. We could check out some stuff!"

The swordsman has no time to speak against the offer, because he's being dragged away from the girls and successfully pulling him from his train of thought, which, frankly, was headed to disaster and overthinking to start with. The market has many lights hung in strings along the stands and lampposts, but nothing quite distracts him like Hau's rambling about the place does.

It's not the best distraction, but it's a _distraction_.

"It's super weird that things are cheaper here than they were in Gemstone Village, but maybe things are a bit worse here! Or not, I don't know yet." Hau lets go of him and turns to look at him, posture incredibly relaxed. One would expect him to be a little tense, considering the ordeal that had been put on their shoulders– but Hau looks super happy.

Moon had also seemed very pleased with the situation. Gladion would be lying if he said he's curious about what they could find out there. The night is warm around them and a lingering smell of bread and wood floats under his nose. It's rather cozy here; no wonder Hau likes it so much.

"It definitely looks more organized than Gemstone Village, that's for sure," Gladion comments. He theorizes that the blacksmith's house must be the traditional shop Hau is taking him to, where a man of big muscles and an intense red mustache is eyeing them already as they approach him. "I can tell where everything is."

"Yeah, man, it's so easy. It shows that the Aedus values organization and all that stuff. I ain't into it that much but it's still awesome to see! I've never been to a place like this!" He proclaims cheerfully. They ascend the stairs to where the man stands. "I wish I could buy everything they got in here… everything looks great!"

The apparent chief of the shop nods his head at them respectfully. "Good evening. What can I do for you? Our shop won't close for some time, so feel free to ask for anything, if needed."

Gladion can't speak because Hau is already commenting on what little that man had said. "Dude, see? This man is so much nicer than the old one we talked to in Gemstone Village! He's a bit scary but that must mean something, right?"

"... Excuse me?"

"Sorry, he can be a bit easy to impress sometimes," sighs Gladion, unsheathing his Silvally. "I don't need anything in particular, but I would like to have my blade looked at. As far as I know, the blade should be fine, but I would rather be safe than sorry."

The blacksmith nods appreciatively. Only now when he's stepping back to sit on his stool does Gladion see a pair of men working by the side of the building, one of them stepping out of the doors of the shop while wiping his forehead clean. "That's a good philosophy. Give me one minute, kid."

The word _kid_ still sounds wrong but he swallows it down along with his pride, and crosses his arms, watching the man do his job patiently– until Hau begins to scream out of the blue, squirming by his side as a guy with the sweaty forehead takes out Hau's staff with a grin.

"Oh, man! That's a good staff! Though it's got some cracks on it! How can you still be fighting with it when it's got most chi canals blocked by wood chips?"

"Dude, that's _my_ stuff! Give it back!"

"What's going on here?"

Gladion turns his head a bit further to see Moon walking in their direction calmly, Lillie following close behind. Despite her question, she seems to know what is happening already, eyes fixed on the apparent thief with a seethe boiling at her lips.

"Moon! This guy took my staff from behind me! Can I, like, legally, use my magic to get it back?"

Instead of answering, Moon reaches behind her and she must be known a _lot_ around these parts for people to know that's a bad thing, as the man proceeds to explain himself. "Sorry! I didn't mean to look like a thief! I actually work here– I'm a magician and a carpenter!"

Hau's aggressivity drops instantly and he's left stunned and confused. "A… carpenter?"

"And a magician! Why the hell does everyone ignore that? Stupid kids…" Still holding the staff close and examining it. "It caught my attention that your weapon is old and it should get some fixes."

Moon takes a quick look at it, and so does Gladion, but from a distance. The staff looks fine from what he can see, though it's chipped on some parts and a bit black on others, almost churned. The guy had mentioned something like _chi canals_ or something though, so these issues could run deeper than mere appearances.

She turns to look at Lillie. "You're a sorcerer, right? Well, in development, but still one." Moon points at the staff with a grin. "What do you think about that?"

The Princess takes a step forward and the guy is immediately aware of her presence, for he backs away like she's a monster. Luckily, Lillie makes nothing of it and instead inspects the wood piece.

"I would not say it is about to fall apart, but it definitely could use some help. Considering you are about to set off to far and dangerous lands, it is worth it having it looked at."

Hau does not look sad about this, nor angry, but he's definitely against the idea. "I… I'd prefer not to. I'll be fine– I can always use hand-held magic instead."

The man disagrees with a shake of his head. "Hand-held magic is not as powerful as staff-channeled magic. You seem to have the proper tattoos, but it won't be the same, and you'll spend a lot more of chi. And you could risk getting side-effects from the magic you perform– or a rebound, even."

Gladion, however, senses something is off, and by the look of suspicion on her face, so does Moon, who speaks up first. "Thank you for your input, old man. We're gonna discuss it like a family now, so… scram," she mutters, and he obeys in a second. Without wasting a moment, Moon turns to Hau again. "Okay, spill it: what's up with that?"

"What's up with _what_?"

"With you being so grabby about that thing," she comments a bit tastelessly. "I get that you probably don't trust these people but I _really_ don't wanna carry your carbonized dead body across the Verdant Pastures to a hospital just because of a staff. It'd be a challenge, yeah, but it's not worth it."

The blond narrows his eyes in his direction. "Only you would think of that as a challenge."

"I like to see the positive side of things," she replies simply, smiling to herself while Gladion shakes his head, disgruntled.

The sorcerer has been handed back his staff and is clutching it to his chest. Gladion has seen a certain possessive vibe over his staff from day one, but he never thought it would be this bad. Often did he consider it to be just one of the many _sorcerer things_ to add to the list: overzealous with the sugar, easy to tire, and also needy about their possessions. It is not like Hau, however, to not bend forward when directly told that he _has_ to.

Lillie puts a hand on Hau's shoulder, and he stiffens, probably afraid of another sneak attack from behind. "What's wrong?"

It works like magic. It might be Moon's relentless stare, or Gladion's evident attention on him, or Lillie's soft words and undeniable kindness, but Hau slowly begins to open up as his hold on the staff loosens up, then tightens sporadically.

"I… it's not that I don't trust these people. They look super professional. That ain't it," he tells Moon, and she nods. "I just like this thing. It's probably the first thing I got for myself after… well, the _accident_ , and it kinda reminds me that I've grown ever since. I don't wanna let go of it. It's all I got to protect myself and I don't want anyone to touch it."

Surprise at this declaration coats him to the bone and immediately shows up in his wide eyes. In a way, Gladion gets it. Everyone is possessive of their weapons to different degrees. Gladion himself would _never_ let anyone touch the handle for retouches, and wielding it would only be an option to very few people. When one warrior picks a weapon, they're not only picking a way of fighting, but also how they will survive and how that survival will shape their lifestyle.

Hau is an amnesiac sorcerer that, for a while, only had the protection of that wooden staff. It makes sense he holds onto it to tightly.

The one to speak first, much to Gladion's shock, is Moon. "Nobody's gonna break it, Hau. These people know what they're doing and… if you wanna get stronger, too, you need to have it looked at. There's no other way around it."

"But–"

"Do you really want all that the weirdo said to come true? It might've been just luck that you're alive now. If we're gonna go out there and fight those bad guys, we gotta give it our all," Moon says, voice a bit gentler than what she usually sounds like, diluted with kindness.

Gladion agrees with a short nod. "We can't afford any risks. I saw you hesitate already in Gemstone Village, but I don't think it's wise to take these risks anymore." Hau gulps and drops his eyes to the ground, to where he can look at his staff in his hands. "I get it. I know what it feels like to be fond of your weapon, but it needs to be fixed. It will be fine."

Anxiety and trembling fear appear in his dark eyes, darting from Gladion to Moon and Lillie, searching for an exit. "What if they break it? What if I lose it?"

"You said it earlier yourself, they are very capable professionals," speaks Lillie gently. Fingers come from his front and clasp around his, and Moon begins to slowly undo the grip on his staff as Gladion simultaneously works on the other hand. "Do it for your safety."

Hau turns his head to her, apparently ignorant of his friends uncurling his fingers from the staff. "It's all I got. It's all I had."

"You have us now," says Moon quietly, so much so that Hau can barely hear her. "We'll walk you through this, together."

Lillie nods in agreement. "You will be okay. It's a staff, and it will not be destroyed," she continues, yet there is the last ember of hesitance in his eyes that makes her eyebrows sink to the sides in worry– an expression Gladion had seen her wear earlier. "I don't want anything to happen to you three. I… don't have that many people to call friends, but I would like to call you three that when you come back."

Moon scoffs. "That's rude, Lils," she calls her by name, as the Empress is not around, Gladion assumes. "I'm not your friend? I'm offended."

And at last, the staff is in Moon's hands, as Gladion lets go of it and Hau makes a move to reach for it, but Gladion takes a step forward and Lillie stays by Hau's side. "I… please. If anything happens to it, I'll…"

"Dude, if they break it, I promise I'll punch down a tree and carve one out for you. It might have some bugs, but it'll be a functional staff!" Moon says in a clear attempt to clear the air– which succeeds, as Hau releases a chuckle. His eyes, however, linger on the weapon. "I'll keep an eye on them. If they break an inch from this thing, I'll crack their skulls open."

"Moon, that is illegal," Lillie reminds her.

"Not in her books," responds Gladion with a raspy, tired voice. "They look very competent. Your staff is in safe hands, I can tell you that."

One last chance. "Promise?"

"Promise."

Moon looks at him in askance, asking for permission with her eyes. There is a beat of silence between them where nothing seems to move around them, just the blur of people passing by as Hau measures his choices, looks at his companions, then at the staff longingly.

He sharply turns around and nods. Releasing a relieved sigh, Moon nods back and heads to the blacksmith contently, handing him the staff. "Listen, I promised my friend back there that if anything goes wrong, I'll beat you up. You know I can do that, so tell your weird carpenter friend to _only_ touch where it's needed."

He isn't a bit intimidated by Moon's act. She respects that. "No problem. Also, give your friend his sword back. It's in perfect condition."

Moon nods and sharply turns to go down the steps and meet her friends, who are comforting Hau with soft hushed words– well, Lillie is. Gladion is just staring and doing absolutely nothing, but in his books, that is enough help as it is, just being there.

When she's within hearing distance, Hau turns to her. He's wiping his eyes clean and has a wobbly smile on his face. "You understood what I told ya' that day, eh?"

Gladion isn't sure if he means all of them or just Moon in particular, but he's glad Moon is the one to ask. "What do you mean?"

"When I said that 'one day I scratch your back, and another, you'll scratch mine'."

Her reaction takes seconds, maybe a minute, but when it comes, it's in the shape of a small chuckled smile, something more genuine than most Gladion has seen on her thus far, and even under the night sky and the lack of light around them, it's already far more telling about her feelings than anything in the past.

"I guess I did."

And seeing how Hau looks at him in hope, nodding with a smile in gratitude, Gladion decides that he might have, as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. I love Moon and Hau's dialogues in this chapter  
> 2\. Lillie is an angel and she cares about them so much when she barely knows them it's so obvious she's starved for affection and friends she just wants them to be safe I-  
> 3\. I love writing about Hau's possessive tendencies and him explaining them we're getting so much development done I cry  
> 4\. These 'relics' are gonna be very important soon so watch out for those dear friends  
> 5\. **NEXT CHAPTER IS _THE_ CHAPTER. IT'S THE DRAMATIC CHAPTER. IT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHAPTERS IN THIS WHOLE FIC AND YOU BETTER GRAB YOUR ASSES BECAUSE IT HAS some _LONASHIPPING_ SO GET READY**  
> 6\. I love how idyllic and nice Driftveil Market is  
> 7\. I love these 4 weirdos so much and Moon telling bad jokes but also integrating Ilima Iand bonding in the market and helping Hau with his traumas and being friends and just- I'm done


	9. Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion strikes another uncanny deal with Moon that entails sharing an ugly blanket, and later finds out the true meaning of friendship he's been missing all along.
> 
> And it almost ends with death.

If there's one thing Gladion is regretful for, it's the fact that they hadn't bought raincoats in the market of Zeffarei. No sooner had they left the Lunaria Plains and taken towards the forest outskirts of the Verdant Pastures, a heavy downpour had descended upon them with wrath comparable to that of divine punishment. The 'verdant' part on the zone's name seems like a mere joke, seeing how dark things had gotten in a matter of minutes.

Looking up, Moon decides to comment on it, a hand outstretched to feel the rain. "We should find shelter. I heard there are some stone structures around here. It'll be better than a tree, that's for sure."

Gladion, who is walking behind them, takes in their appearance. Moon's usually short and bouncy hair is sticking to the sides of her face, and he's made the fortunate discovery that under her bright shirt she's wearing _another_ one, much darker than the prior. He's quite sure she will catch a pretty bad cold by the time they get to their next stop. At least she has proper footwear, red and black boots as her shoes.

Hau's hair is a mess, too. His dreadlocks are dripping wet and Hau is constantly having to squeeze out the water. His clothes are soggy but not as drenched as Moon's, who has no problem walking from puddle to puddle whereas Hau is carefully skirting under trees and getting some sort of shelter from time to time.

While Hau is making her a question, he turns and grins at Gladion, who is shaking off some water from his sleeves. "Dude, you look like wet and gross fries."

He has a point. His fringe has turned into thin, uneven strands of hair and he can see from his hidden eye better than most times. It's an incidental advantage of being soaked from head to toe, he assumes, because most trees Hau had been happily walking under have released buckets of water on him.

Moon turns as well, and her default smile grows. "That's what you get for not letting me trim it off! Now you're a soggy doggy, have fun!"

And she starts to walk again, Hau sprinting behind her across a hundred puddles while Gladion jogs to her as well. "You two are not much better than I am!"

"Yeah, but we totally rock the look! Well, Moon's sorta managing," at this, she turns her head around with an expression of displeasure. "We have been walking for, like, a day and a half? And you look like a sponge. I could use you to have a shower!"

Two blinks, then, silence. "Keep your weird thoughts to yourself, pervert." And she keeps walking.

"You know that ain't what I meant!"

Moon isn't listening to him anymore and has turned to the left, exiting to a cliffside. Ilima had many times told him that the Aedus Dominion is mostly flat and lush, but at his feet there is now a whole valley through which a river is pushing, much more fear-inducing under the heavy rain of autumn. Moon has crouched to peer over the river, and Hau leans over her, but Gladion chooses to remain a bit further away.

They actually stand close to the end of the cliffside, as Gladion can see the lowering rockside which dissolves into a flat, dry patch of land where the river skirts around and meets what seems to be the ocean, oddly pleasant and rainless. By the colors of it, it will soon be nighttime, but they are nowhere close to any town whatsoever.

"We won't get to the Emissary's Factory 'til tomorrow in the afternoon, and unless you two wanna chance it and try to make it there, we should look for shelter before the storm gets worse," she explains, getting up again. "All we gotta do is follow the river and then go up the hills. It sure is tempting to just go and storm into the Shipyard, though… it's _so_ close."

"And here I was, thinking you had grown a bit of common sense, saying we should take shelter for the night," comments Gladion, causing Moon to narrow her eyes in irritation. It's all make pretend, though. "Where can we go, though?"

Hau looks around them, then back to the cliff. "I doubt there'll be any caves around here, right?"

"In the Verdant Pastures? Not a single one, I'm sure of that," she says, disappointed for some reason. "A girl can't get her sweet gold in these lands. Do you know how much it frustrates me?"

"What are we supposed to do, then? There seem to be no other towns nearby," asks Gladion, sighing. "I have nothing against sleeping under the rain, but I would rather we all arrived at…"

"The Emissary's Factory."

"... right, the Emissary's Factory in one piece. Well, maybe you two do not mind, but I won't be carrying you along."

"Damn, Gladbag, you are one cruel dude," grimaces Hau. There is little to no seriousness in his expression, though, which has quickly turned into a grin when Gladion crosses his arms and looks at them meaningfully, signaling that he's one hundred percent serious. "I'd carry you to hell and beyond, man. Our friendship is _very_ unbalanced."

"I'm honestly gonna cry right now," Moon says, faking a sniff and wiping fake tears with the heel of her hand. Gladion's stale eyes stare at her act. "The sky is crying all the tears I can't shed. My heart is _broken_. Shattered."

"As if you had one. I'm convinced you're just one devil spawn to make my life impossible."

"Excuse you," she butts in as he tries to walk away from the cliffside, "my company is delightful."

"Maybe for an ogre or a fiend."

Her grin predicts a thorny comeback. "So my company delights _you_ , too! That's fantastic!"

A vein pops up in Gladion's forehead and with his jaw squared, he proceeds to unsheathe his Silvally while Moon reaches behind her to twirl her knives into her hands, his glare burning against her naughty smile of mischief.

Hau brushes past them and takes to the forest. "You two, stop picking fights. I don't have enough chi in me to fish any of ya' out of the river if you fall in." Under her smile of sheer evil and what he thinks must be a passion to make his life miserable, Gladion keeps his sword in his scabbard as she puts her daggers to rest.

The three walk back into the forest in silence. In his life, Gladion has seen many kinds of rain; drizzling, thin rain, thick and heavy rain that soaks a bit deeper than the skin, rain so strong yet thin it almost feels like needles, and that uneven rain that almost feels like simple stray drops from the ceiling but it really never stops. The rainfall is broken by the green and yellow leaves of the forest above them, a few lights striking through the gray clouds and paving their way through the woods.

"Since there's not gonna be a thunderstorm, I think, we could walk a bit more into the flat parts of the pastures," Moon says as she leads the way. Her stride is so confident Gladion knows they will be safe with her. "There's a part of the field that's all windmills and these big, wide trees. I fell asleep under one once and I slept like a baby."

Hau nods. "Was it a nap? Or did you sleep there for the whole night?"

Her black eyes dart up to the ceiling of the forest. The few gaps of light poking through the leaves slide across her nose and cheeks. She's paler in the darkness, a bit brighter. "Hm. I'd say it was a nap during sunrise, so it might as well be both!"

She strouts away, humming to herself in pleasure at the shocked expressions she's left on them. Gladion, however, is familiar with her antics. "This is normal for her. She made me camp in the middle of the forest to take a nap. If anything, I'm surprised we never did it when the three of us were together."

Moon turns around, arms behind her back and casually jumping backward – and nearly slipping – to skip a fallen log. "Wait, we didn't?"

"Sadly, we were too busy trying not to get caught by an entire angry Empire." Moon clearly appreciates Gladion's sarcasm, because she lets out a loud laugh that resonates throughout the forest. "It's not funny!"

"I mean," Hau interrupts, "it sorta was. I loved traveling around, but I guess a lil' less of murder and a bit more of 'Hey, beautiful travelers, have some cookies and milk' would've been awesome, not gonna lie."

His words are met with a puff of air from Gladion that nearly sounds like a chuckle– almost, but not quite. Moon, however, laughs openly, her head thrown back and shoulders bobbing up and down. Seeing her reaction, Hau grins to himself, clearly pleased with the result of his words.

In a way, that's Hau's superpower, sometimes; he can clear the air with little effort and make things work again. His energy might be overbearing at times, but it might be that his naïve behavior and almost childish words and encouragement work better than he would have ever anticipated. Moon is a crackhead with knives and Hau is a bit softer. It's balanced and he's very much in the middle.

It might be rainy and Moon's constant quips might be giving him a headache but everything is going alright for now. There's no direct trouble pool into which Moon wants to throw herself – and thus drag them along – so they are safe.

The trio eventually reaches the actual _verdant_ parts of the Verdant Pastures. The rain has gotten a bit milder in these parts and with fewer trees around them, there is also less humidity. When they spring out of the forest and into the hilly field, an open space with giant windmills and small farmhouses scattered across the distance welcomes them.

Gladion would have never expected the changes in the territory of the Aedus to be this drastic– from sunken fields of grass to pits above a river and to the infinite plains, yet everything is somehow even and relatively green. It certainly is much more alive than the Kandrus Empire ever was.

And as Moon throws herself down a hill and laughs hysterically as she rolls down, Hau rushing close behind, something dawns on him so hard that he almost falls forward with them.

A stern, faraway voice, lost in the ripples of time. _"Three days. That's all I give you before you come back asking me to give you a bed to sleep on."_

It's been more than three days.

It's been two months– maybe even _more_ than two months since he last saw Faba. He has been in his mind more than once, but he hasn't gone back to him, and he has no intention of doing so either. It feels odd that he doesn't feel _odd_ about having been away from everything he once called home for this long.

He hasn't slept in his own red, comfortable bed in more than sixty days. He hasn't seen Faba in at least sixty days. He hasn't had to chase away murderers from children in weeks. His volumes on music, etiquette, and marketing have been tucked away and remain untouched. Faba's warnings about him meeting his end, the dangers of the world and Faba's attempts to jail him in his own home, much like the Empress has done to Lillie, have been carried away with the wind of summer and faded into oblivion with the entrance of autumn.

He's _alive_. He's not alone anymore, no longer hidden away in the golden wheat and carriages of a town too small for his ambitions.

Looking at the two dumbasses he has as companions, though, it's no wonder he hasn't gone back home.

"Yo, Gladbag! You're getting slow!" calls Moon from down the hill, her clothes smeared with mud and grass. Hau isn't any better. "Did the rain get your cranks all rusty and wet? Get down here or we're gonna hog all the trees for ourselves!"

Unlike those two uncivilized hedgehogs, Gladion simply walks down the steep slope with a small smile tugging at his lips as Hau rolls further into the beaten path of the farm side, getting himself covered in dust and sand, but when Gladion is by their side, they pick one of the faintly beaten tracks and walk along the hilly pastures.

They soon discover a small barn with a lush tree widow bowing over the field. The house of the owner is within a reasonable distance for them to be caught in the act– yet Moon, after standing before the fenceline in thought, slants a hand over the fence and wordlessly hops over it.

"Oh, for _fuck's_ sake."

Moon turns to him with rolling eyes. Hau laughs. "I haven't even done anything yet!"

"First, you commit murder; then, property theft; and now you want to barge into an estate that isn't yours?"

"Gladbag, for someone with a knack for keeping himself safe in his little tin world, the point is flying over you at alarming speeds," she mocks, looking around with her hands on her hips. Seeing that everything is empty and devoid of vigilance, she grins and turns back to them. "If you wanna look for a small cave in the woods or sleep in the middle of the road, fine by me. I'll be taking the comfy hay in the meantime."

Much to Gladion's dismay, Hau has also hopped over the fence and is walking in the direction of the tree, peeking through the vines. "We could take this big willow. It ain't that comfy, but it for sure won't land us in jail."

The blond is regretfully skipping over the fence, but one leg at a time. "We could also simply ask for the owner of this estate for a bed to stay in."

Moon shakes her head. "Now, that's a terrible idea."

"That's very ironic, coming from you," Gladion mutters, crossing his arms. Hau observes them from underneath the willow, his head poking through the curtains of leaves.

Moon throws him a look over her shoulder. "Your idea is _ridiculous_."

"Oh, _do_ tell."

"The people who live here are just independent farmers, and the Blackring has been here one too many times. The Empress herself sent me here on a couple of missions and they don't take kindly to strangers. Especially if you're holding a knife and it's nighttime."

Gulping, the sorcerer hides an inch into the willow. "You… _threatened_ them?"

"No, those were just circumstantial details. Always thinking the worst of me, aren't you?" Gladion sighs for what seems to be the umpteenth time today. "Anyway, I think this barn might be abandoned if I recall correctly. I'm not sure if this is the one, though."

She advances towards the wooden building and peeks from one side of the wide threshold. In Gladion's inexperienced viewpoint, this barn is too big – about two floors tall – to be just a barn. It could perfectly be a house and, by the looks of it, in a state too good to be abandoned.

Moon's prayers do come true in the end, as she announces in full blast. "It's empty! There are haystacks everywhere!"

As they indeed discover later, the barn is devoid of any animals or human presence. Moon throws her body on top of a tightly tied stack of hay and immediately yelps, then rolls to a full mess of hay threads and comes out of the golden mess with hay all over her hair. Hau runs into the place and announces that he will be taking one of the stacks on top of a mountain of several.

When Gladion asks why, settling for a stack in the proximity to Hau's – it seems plusher – the sorcerer responds with a smile. "Dude, I've never slept on a bunk bed! This is the closest imma get to that, so I gotta take the chance, right?"

He really doesn't have to, but before he can comment on that, Gladion sees Moon rolling a square stack of hay towards one of the windows of the barn. "Now, what are _you_ doing?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm gonna go check out the roof! I bet there's gonna be one hell of a view from up there and I'm _not_ gonna miss out just because you two need your sleep so early," she explains very quickly, pushing one big stack of hay to roll onto itself and fall right under the window. Moon lets out a pant under Gladion's equally perplexed and impressed stare. "You could've helped me instead of looking at me like that. If the ceiling falls on you, don't go calling names."

"You just framed yourself for second-degree murder and I shouldn't be surprised, but I am."

Hau has, however, sprinted out of his sleeping spot and is approaching her. "Dude! How are you even gonna climb that high?"

Her confusion at this very reasonable question is very intriguing. "With my legs. And hands. We have climbed up trees taller than this, and the barn has more dents than a tree does." Moon hops on top of a haystack and points at herself. Her legs dangle from the edge. "As the headmistress of the Springblossom Academy, I've been training with soldiers to teach 'em how to climb walls. They're kinda uncoordinated."

"Dude, I was actually gonna ask about that." Moon is evidently surprised by his interest. Knowing her, she's probably getting a sick thrill from Hau's curiosity, but Gladion can't blame her. "How come you could just up and leave the academy so easily? D'you have somebody to fill in your place or something?"

Now, _that's_ something Gladion himself had been asking himself for a few hours. He sits on a haystack to listen to her story as well, legs crossed over the ledge. Moon sits at a level higher than his, which for some reason unnerves him.

"Calling me a _headmistress_ is a bit of a stretch," she admits. "The Springblossom Academy has its own set of teachers and stuff. They're not half bad, really, but they're sorta easy to beat up. But that's just me, I guess." Seeing she's going off-track, she clears her throat. "The academy is more of a training and forming place. You learn nothing there, other than whatever you may take from being beaten up over and over again."

Gladion arches an eyebrow in her direction. "Then, what is exactly your job there? I would have expected it to sound a little more professional."

When he sees her grin, that's when he knows he's in for a dangerous story. "I'm the last bastion of the academy. Their mentor. A _master_. I got a pair of students I train with on a daily basis, but my job's to beat up the ones who wanna challenge me. I'm more of a punching bag authority, but I always punch back. Gladbag knows a lot about that, right?"

Gladion lets out an incomprehensible string of profanities into the air, yet it gets lost in the rain ricocheting on the roof. Hau nods. "It still sounds cool, though. You've gotten super strong, but imma catch up soon! I haven't had your luck I guess, though I would've loved to see ya' kick that director's ass back home!"

"I wish it had been easier. The Empress might have embellished the details the other day and, in all honesty, I'm not gonna go against her words. It _was_ a lot harder than she makes it sound, though, but I did sorta storm in and kick ass." Moon crosses her arms. "I wish Ilima had stepped up to the challenge. I'm gonna make him bite the dust someday."

A quiet thought breezes through the silence, surrounded by the pitter-patter of the downpour outside. "It's weird that you get along so well with all those guards now, though."

"I didn't have any other option. If I wanted to work with Lillie, then I had to sorta learn how to behave."

"You could have learned that a while ago."

Moon and Hau turn their eyes to Gladion, whose stare on her is so hard and focused it could be cut with a knife. Many things are crossing his mind at the moment, all of them picturing a too stubborn Moon refusing to collaborate with military members just because she ' _has an allergy to authorities_ '. Seeing how things have turned out, he isn't angry, but annoyed by how flexible her moralities can be, if she has any at all.

When Moon does not answer to this, he fills in the gaps. "I don't understand how you can change your mind so quickly. I used to think you had real issues with authorities that prevented you from working with them, but I'm guessing that is not the case, right?"

Moon's eyes blink in his direction and _something_ flashes past her eyes at the speed of light, but then it's gone and all that's left is a smile. "Anybody standing on my way is an enemy in my books. The Aedus military is more of… an occasional ally. If we didn't have these State insignias I bet you I'd be kicking their asses to Mars if they stood on my way. I owe my loyalty to _no_ body."

The enthusiasm she answers with is ridiculous, and his chest swells with an oppressed chuckle. That's a somewhat relieving answer, to see that she hasn't changed her ways even though she _should_ and this is still not okay.

In hindsight, he realizes that she hasn't _really_ answered his question and something remains unanswered in the air. He wonders exactly what _that_ could be.

"Man, Moon, you're relentless. Poor soldiers, they wouldn't see the light of day again." With a swift reach, Hau takes out his staff, looking at it very proudly. "With this new baby I'll be kicking ass just like you guys in no time!"

Moon nods, and when her eyes shift on the staff, her gaze becomes a pinch softer, eaten away by a grin. "You did great when you had your staff changed, Hau. I'm genuinely proud of ya', pal."

"If anything, I'm happy you didn't think I'm crazy. A lotta people used to look at me like I'm insane just because… well, y'know what. Thank you for bein' patient– I was too busy crying my eyes out to thank you properly," he says, earning a nod from the woman, and then he turns to Gladion. "Thank you, too. For understanding."

Hau's eyes are warm, and as Moon's linger on him as well, he discovers them to be both soft and teasing, and the intent on their eyes is so strong he has to turn away to not choke and make light of something that means so much to Hau. He's more polite than to let that happen. "Whatever. It's _whatever_."

After a good laugh at his expense and Gladion taking out his very ugly rhinestone blanket and wishing them good night, Moon escapes through the window and into the rain while Hau climbs to his makeshift bed and gets his sleep. In no time at all, he's snoring into the stack and unmoving– Hau's capacity to fall asleep anywhere so quickly is almost admirable.

Even with the rain drumming on the roof of the barn, he believes he can have a good night, and in no time at all, the exhaustion from today's walking begins to catch up with him and as the events of the day play in his head in a slow, relaxing motion, he feels consciousness pulling him under.

However, his problems begin when Moon comes back from her trip to the roof and instead of scooting to her corner and sleeping, she's walking to _his_ and nudging his shoulder.

"Gladion, wake up."

He had almost fallen asleep. He had almost been there. Gritting his teeth, he turns to see her drenched in rainwater, leaning over his stack. "What in the _living_ fuck, Moon. What happened?"

She folds her arms and bites her lip, looking humanly conflicted for once in the time he's known her. "I'm cold."

He blinks at her once. He thinks of telling her about her state, that she's cold because she's drenched from head to toe and that she should simply go dry off, but he's too tired to bother so he turns again. "Not my problem."

"I'm cold," she emphasizes again, and a cold sweat falls down his body when she tugs at the blanket. "And the blanket is ours."

Bewilderment settles in, falls on him like a boulder of a hundred pounds as he realizes what she means. He turns around to glare at her so hard, sitting up, that he nearly gets whiplash. "Don't tell me you want to share the blanket," Moon nods without hesitation. "I've had the blanket all along. It basically belongs to me."

"We found it in a chest that _I_ vouched to find. You helped me get to it, so it's also yours, but because it's also mine, I can call share rights," she explains, so smoothly that he's sure she's rehearsed her speech. "It's the art of sharing, Gladbag. It's the core of our society."

"You made that up just now," he replies with a hoarse voice, lying down again, facing the ceiling while Moon takes the mistaken clue to sit right by him. "There's no way we're going to sleep on the same stack. You'll kick me off and hog the blanket."

"I might hog the blanket but I wouldn't kick you off, that's just rude. You might deserve it, but your back doesn't," she says, but he can see a line of joking in her smile. "And look, it's not like I'm gonna try to cuddle with you. I just need the blanket."

"Give me one– just _one_ reason why I should let you and risk not only my blanket but also my life, apparently."

"If I get a runny nose and a bad fever, you're gonna have to drag me across this place because none of you two know how to get to the Emissary's Factory and somebody's gotta lead the way."

Gladion makes the regrettable decision of looking up. Her hair is dripping wet, drops landing on his soft pink blanket. The rhinestones throw a few reflections on her cheeks and show the slick texture of her skin. There are light tremors in her stance. Just by looking at her he can tell she's cold.

"Are you _that_ cold that you have to grovel to ask me for the blanket?"

"Never said I'd grovel for you. If you're trying to fix your ego by making me get on my knees, you're gonna have to try _way_ harder than that." Gladion gives her a perfect deadpan of a stare. "It's a death or life situation. If you don't help me out, I'll drop dead in seconds."

His eyes shrink, scrunched. "That's a fat lie."

"It is, but you never know what life will throw at you and I'm cold, so _please_ let's share the blanket."

Moon saying _please_ is a rare delicacy between all the pearls of violence and threats she throws in the air, but like most things she says, it's always with a layer of joking amidst all the seriousness and experience she exudes from head to toe. He's constantly reminded of the fact that Moon might be immortal and too big for this world and _him_ to understand, but she's also human.

In the few _please_ 's she says, there's a portion of that humankind, too. And it's not like he's got it in him to continue fighting her anymore. If he has abided to follow her game, he also has to let go of the gig, sometimes.

"Get in, then, or else I'll get cold and I will blame you for that."

Moon does as he asks. The blanket is now extended over the two and is surprisingly big enough to cover them fully, so her presence is not a burden on its own– if it weren't for the fact that she's lying right by his side, their arms brushing. He's shared spaces with her a few times now, but this is on a whole new level that he's never experienced before.

She might insist that she's cold but… she also feels warm. He never thought he would be able to tell somebody's temperature from an inch away, but he _can_ and it's… almost comforting. Cozy. It's a feeling he can't name. It's not unpleasant.

And unable to put a name on it and unable to understand exactly what it could be, he turns to his side. "Let's… not turn to each other. To avoid accidents. That way I will make sure you don't kick me off the stack."

"Fair, but I can still just–" to show her point, she pushes her heel against his knee and he hisses, feeling the cold sole of her boot. "And can you give me a bit of blanket? You're hogging it."

As Moon yanks at it, he tugs back. He whispers in a hiss. "You have more blanket than I do! Stop tugging at it."

Surprisingly, Moon gives in and lets it go; and even better, Gladion doesn't tug his portion back, deeming her to be genuinely cold by the way she's shivering by his side. The stack is almost quivering along with her, and as much as he wouldn't mind telling her to _stop_ shivering, he's realized overtime that telling people to stop doing things they can't help is a douchey thing to do, so he remains silent.

Moon is silent too, and her shudders calm down after a few minutes have passed, but she hasn't fallen asleep yet. Hau's snoring might be loud, but Moon's breathing is somehow _louder_ and he can't stand how focused he is on that, waiting for her to fall asleep.

He can't stand her, sometimes.

Knowing that's not entirely true anymore, though, he falls asleep, and he thinks he imagines the next bit, but he swears she falls asleep just when he does, too.

* * *

Gladion had made his companions promise two things for the remaining part of the walk to the Emissary's Factory: first, that they would keep themselves silent just in case anybody springs up on them, and two, that they would take the shortest way possible, something that Moon affirms she's been doing already so she calls him ridiculous and they almost get into another brawl but Hau cracks up a joke and all rivalry fades from the air.

However, said attempt for a brawl might have called the attention of a few people, because as they are skirting along the cliffside and getting close to the turning point into the forest, a pair of pirates turn up from the forest and tense up at the view of three intruders on their grounds.

"Dude, look at this! Three nerds in our pretty forest, thinkin' they can go wherever they wanna, eh?" Gladion swears he feels his blood boil as they take out their weapons as they offer them a battle. "Y'ain't gonna make fun of us like that, y'hear me!?"

"Dude, they ain't makin' fun of us!" says the other grunt, eyes wide. "We're wearin' the cool jeans and the cool stuff! We ain't the bravest, but we're the trendiest dudes, _yeah_!"

And, at first, the battle is pretty innocent and nothing Gladion hasn't fought before. Nothing reaches him in the first minutes of the battle, demonstrating that the many run-ins he's had with the Blackring in the past have served their purpose. Moon successfully kicks one of the guys off a cliff and is almost hit by a sword thrown at her so she can meet the same fate, but she giddily throws it back to the buccaneer.

It nearly feels like home, fighting with Hau and Moon back to back.

"You got _no_ class!" she exclaims as she walks over to the stabbed pirate, and far from giving him mercy, she twists the blade deeper into his stomach. "You're the worst! Next time one of you tries to throw me off a cliff I'm gonna beat you to a pulp!"

Moon, distracted by her rambling, doesn't notice somebody coming close to her– more like _something_ , because a beam of light is approaching her, which Hau blocks when Moon has jumped away from its track. A screen of red fades away from sight, " _Thank you,"_ she mutters, Hau nods back.

However, they have no time to chant victory, because as soon as they are about to regroup and strategize, Moon catches sight of a flare sparking up between the trees at the same time as Gladion watches the sorcerer start to decompose into ash, and then– "Hau, it was a decoy! You gotta–!"

Instinct. That's the first thing that kicks in when he sees the beam of power bust between the vines, trees, and wilderness of the forest and Gladion rushes to shove Hau to the ground and use his sword as a shield to block the attack from reaching him.

The momentum of the attack is too strong for his body to withstand– and when he feels his feet leave the ground and the void below his body grows a presence, Gladion's throat closes up.

He starts to fall down the cliff.

He clutches at the air. Hau screams his name and scrambles to his feet, and the last thing he sees is Hau readying his staff while somebody yells his name as well, all muddled with the rush of the wind coming from below as he falls fast, _faster_ , the world a blur of rain and faded colors and his thoughts a mess of tangled thoughts, images, sounds, the ground growing closer but his salvation escalating away from him–

A deafening boom rumbles above him as his fall stops abruptly. Something hisses against the walls of the cliff and a pant echoes above him. His ears register the ripples of the explosion and a scream from Hau, then the sound of his body falling to the ground while other people run away– but then he feels something wrapped around his hand, _hard_.

It's Moon.

She has jumped into the void after him.

_She has jumped into the void after him._

"Arceus bless my reflexes," she mutters, barely audible under the downpour, "or else you'd be ten feet under."

A whirlwind of questions assault him, but the only one he sputters out is the rudest yet most eloquent one. "What– What the fuck are you doing!?"

At this, she looks down and he finds her expression to be that of pain, of effort. Her hands are wet, and so is the cliff she's hanging onto by the mere strength of a hand. They won't last that much longer.

"What do you think!? I'm grabbing you, asshole!"

"That's not my goddamn point!" When he swears he catches sight of her hand beginning to give in on the small ledge she hangs from, his heart nearly _falls_. "You shouldn't be here! I don't need you saving me now!"

"You got no say on that, shut up already!" she yells in the rain, voice rough as she squeezes his hand between her fingers, _hard_. "Does it look like I care!?"

"Are you fucking insane!? You have to let me go!" Her expression turns even more outraged by this, but he fights her back, both soaked by the rain. "If you keep holding me, we're both going to fall! Let me go already!"

"Why in the living fuck would I do that!?"

"Because you have to!" He replies like it's the most sensical thing in the world, struggling to not move as his body squirms and wiggles at the mere thought of this dumbass falling with him because she was too stubborn to listen. "Fucking let me go already! It's not like we're friends or–"

And that's when Moon finally _snaps_.

" _Listen_ , you fucking brat!" This is the first time he sees a silver of anger in her eyes and the sight is terrifying. "Don't come at me with that self-sacrificing nonsense! And stop saying that– you know full-well that it's a lie! And I'm getting tired of that! Stop saying we aren't friends– stop it! " Her hand slips a little from the ledge, but she doesn't make a big deal out of it. "If you say that again, I swear I'll toss you down this cliff and I won't catch you! Are you fucking telling me you wouldn't catch me, then, eh!?"

"What if I didn't!? What if I left you to fall and die!?" He screams back, knowing very well that he doesn't mean it but he needs her to stop being like this.

He can't take her down with him.

"Screw you, then! But I know you wouldn't! And it's rich that I, of all people, gotta say this; but we're fucking friends whether you want it or not, got it!?" A labored breath escapes her. "Scratch that, we're super fucking good friends, you jerk! And if you haven't noticed it already, you got one hell of a problem!"

Her words leave him stunned, his eyes widening as the last embers of anger leave him– and with his own soft landing into real, calmer lands, he feels her relax above him, too, but her grip on his hand remains strong– maybe stronger than ever.

"If you don't let me go–"

"Shut up already. I don't care. I'm not gonna let you fall and die. That's not what friends do, you dumbass." Gladion blinks in her direction, his chest heavier after their heated exchange than of physical effort. "Look at me, all disheveled and ugly because you told me to let go of you. You're an idiot."

"Says the one who is about to slip and die."

"Shut up or I'll throw you to the crocodiles below."

He chuckles airily. Both know he doesn't want to die. Even with the rain falling like this and making it impossible to survive, she had jumped after him down a cliff to catch him.

He should have known she would not let him off the hook that easily. As she said, she's one hell of a pest. "Hau! We need help! We wouldn't mind a bit of a lift to safe grounds!"

As his breathing stabilizes and he takes in his surroundings – and keeps himself from looking below him – he notices that he hasn't fallen that far, but it's a distance significant enough to realize that she's had to physically dive and _fall_ with him to catch him. Her hand keeps him steady. It gives him the security that he won't fall any further than this.

Seeing her shout orders at Hau – who has just scrambled to them and is losing his shit over their state, he can't help but smile sincerely as they bicker and Moon simply tells Hau with a brilliant grin that "I wanted to put in practice that stuff you told me about going fishing without bait!"

"This is _not_ the time to go fishing!" exclaims Hau. Gladion feels something brush his feet and he sees a slate of rock slide under him and start to push up, raising him and Moon to the surface– but Hau must have gotten slightly angry at his friends' state because he finishes the job by tossing them to the cliff again.

Gladion lands in a tangled heap, barely able to register Hau crawling to them, where he realizes Moon is lying. She sits up as Hau frowns at them, but by the distress in his face and the trembling of his eyebrows, it looks like he's about to cry. "Don't worry me like that again! That's so _uncool_! I almost had a heart attack!"

Moon, as always, tries to laugh it off. "Aw, c'mon, it was fine! I just… I couldn't let him fall, you would've done the same!"

"I legit saw you jumping into the _void_! You two scared me shitless! I know you would've been fine because you're always _fine_ and whatever but…!" Hau argues, but his words die in his throat when he takes a look at his friends, Moon's shoulders sagging and Gladion's head dipped in remorse.

When he sees Gladion and Moon share a visibly ashamed gaze, he sighs. "I swear to Arceus, you _two…_ The day you stop arguing you decide to almost, like, die together? You're something else, dude."

The day begins to clear up above them, clouds parting and throwing sunlight into the cliffside as Gladion takes out bandages to fix everyone's wounds. Moon and Hau laugh as the last vestiges of danger and adrenaline roll off their bodies in sporadic laughter, but even in danger and sitting on mud and dirt like this, Gladion decides that things might not have been that bad, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI
> 
> this is a very important moment in not only this chapter but this whole series because it demonstrates Moon and Gladion not only becoming official pals but also them caring for each other, they have come truly far and these two scenes of 1. bed sharing and 2. cliff saving will be important in the future
> 
> keep it in mind
> 
> I LOVE THIS CHAPTER SO MUCH BECAUSE IT SOLIDIFIES THE BOND BETWEEN GLADION AND MOON AND SHE CONFRONTS HIM ON HIS BS AND SHE'S LIKE NO WE'RE FRIENDS STOP BEING SUCH AN EDGELORD IT'S NOT FUNNY and he's like 'o you right bitch we friends' AND SHE SAVES HIM AND HE LETS HER SAVE HIM THEY HAVE GROWN SO MUCH THEY'RE COMING SO FAR I LOVE LONASHIPPING SO MUCH
> 
> again this chapter is VERY MEANINGFUL BECAUSE LONA IS MEANINGFUL SO KEEP IT IN MIND
> 
> /dies


	10. Monks With Sandals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group meets with Nanu, the mayor of the Emissary's Factory, and discover something incredibly upsetting.

Arriving at the Emissary's Factory is an experience like no other. Sure, it classifies as a town because it has houses, it's inhabited because people are going around about their day, and it is a place within the Verdant Pastures because it is legally that way, according to Moon's constant chattering and convincing. Yet, nothing he sees matches with what Moon is saying, and it brings a very heavy existential crisis to his brain that he doesn't need.

The Verdant Pastures are full of greenery and forests, but this town has much less vegetation in it. There are the remains of what used to be a factory – hence the name, as Moon also explains – scattered across the town; from half-buried wheels to carts that now serve no purpose but accumulate dirt and spare crimson flowers. There is also a significant difference in temperature, and it's much colder here, but that could have a lot to do with the fact that they are very close to the mountains.

The sea is but a sight in the distance, and the town ends with an abrupt cliffside to the right that gives view to the gorgeous sparkling ocean, all fenced to prevent kids from falling.

Everything is dotted with abrupt pillars of rock that ascend to the heavens and beyond, but crimson trees and windmills of blue pads and shark-shaped kites cover the bases of these pillars, making them look more looming and ominous. There's a good dose of sunlight that hits everywhere and colors it in summer light, yet the temperature and the deep red color of the trees can't lie. Autumn has hit this town hard and fast; it looks lovely.

Reaching the town hall is another experience of its own. They go along a path of cobblestone, across a small stream that goes through the town, and then through a segment of picnic tables and then take to the main plaza of the town, which is just a patch of dirt with wood on it and benches of wood and stone dotted around it. Moon explains that it's where most festivals are held and that they might be lucky enough to have time to attend one.

Gladion wonders how she knows all of this, but then is immediately answered as she just says that 'I've been here a hundred times but that smell of garlic never disappears!', which is a correct assumption; it does smell like garlic, like bread and food. She also mentions that she's never had the opportunity to meet the mayor of the town, but that she hopes he will be here today.

"He's kinda all over the place. He used to be an authority monk in his prime, but he's gotten cranky. He's like Gladion, but older and he's got a weird knack for cats," Gladion pretends he hasn't heard a thing and continues looking around. Small jays are perched on the semi-bare branches of the red trees. "I hope that old man isn't slacking off. I don't wanna resort to drastic measures."

"Drastic measures?" Hau asks with a joking voice. "What'cha mean with that?"

"I'll sit on his doorstep like a sad puppy until he opens the door and gives us at least five minutes of his time. I've done it before," she replies, nodding to herself, and Hau thinks she has to be kidding but she follows it up. "I've got a lot of experience and patience. I'm not gonna leave until I get what I want."

Gladion has finally tuned into the conversation and shakes his head. "So you have done it in the past? How idiotic can you get?"

"It's not stupidity, it's just sheer patience and determination."

"You're the kind of person who sees a locked door and still fumbles with the doorknob." Hau chuckles at Gladion's comment. "Or, even worse, you will try to kick the door down. Or break the doorknob."

"Don't be ridiculous," she says in a perfect mockery, a catchphrase she's adopted from him – out of all things – and he hates it. "Breaking the handle never works– trust me, I've tried a few times. In the end you'll just get hurt and it's a pain in the ass to walk with a sore ankle."

Hau hears a decisive _slap_ as Gladion's hand collides with his own forehead. "Dude, why were you trying to kick a door down though? Were you on a mission? Were you in one of those super cool operations of sneaking into a house and dragging a nasty criminal out? I'd have loved to see that!"

"Not at all," she responds calmly. "I mean, I've totally had to kick a few doors down to drag people out, but it happens a lot more often that I lose the keys to the supply room in the academy, so I just kick the door down and _voi-lá_."

The two stare at her as she takes to the right, looks at a building and nods to herself, ignoring the reactions in both her companions' faces. "Wouldn't it be easier to simply remember where you put your keys instead of damaging the academy's property?"

Moon rolls her eyes as she turns to look behind her. "Gladbag, a girl like me can't carry keys around. I have no pockets in my shorts. Or my uniform. And my bag isn't made to carry small things like that."

Hau grins cheekily. "What, scared you're gonna use a pair of keys instead of your knives in a battle?"

"Of course not! They just make a lot of noise. So I leave them in my dorm in the academy but I never know where they are, so…" Gladion thinks it would have made more sense for Hau's theory to be true, even though Moon always takes her knives out of her back under her shirt or over it, or a pair of attachments on her hips, which she's wearing right now.

Those are details he's noticed overtime that make him wonder how exactly she pulls that stuff off with her daggers at her back. "I thought you had a room in the Bellossom Inn, much like we did."

"I used to have one, but then I sorta moved into one of the small rooms on the second floor of the academy, so I sleep there. It's kinda small, though, so I gotta ask the Empress if I can build some sort of shed nearby. I'd love to have a fish tank."

"Yo, fish tanks are cool as hell! I could help ya' pick the fishies for it if you wanna!" Gladion mutters to Hau that he's talking a bit too loud, yet the sorcerer ignores him. "Also you wanna build it like, on your own? Can you even use a hammer?"

Moon flashes them a grin. "You two can help me out! I bet we'd have lots of fun!"

"Hell yeah! We're gonna build the best house ever! We could even build a house with a lot of vines! And we can skip from house to house across the street in no time!"

"Don't humor her!" Gladion exclaims. "Being in the same space with you, a hammer and probably a thousand nails sounds like a terrible idea," comments Gladion sourly.

The way Moon giggles at that doesn't make it any better. "It'll be a beautiful bonding moment for us three! You're just scared of getting a nail on your hand, but you will be fine!"

Her mentioning _hands_ drives his eyes to sink to her bandaged right hand, which hangs limply on her side. Moon had gotten a pretty deep wound on her palm after jumping after him the day before– it had been bleeding _badly_ , but she had shrugged it off saying it was a simple cut when in reality Hau and Gladion sort of lost their marbles at the sight and made her promise she would be more careful from now on.

It had taken them a surprisingly small amount of time. Her hand has a substantial amount of bandages wrapped around. He wonders how much it hurts, and if she regrets saving him at the cost of a wound as deep as that.

Their heated argument is still fresh in his memory, and her seemingly rhetorical question of ' _Are you fucking telling me you wouldn't catch me, then, eh!?_ ' has been plaguing his mind for a few hours.

"Also, I forgot to ask," she interrupts the silence, and only now does Gladion realize that they are right before the mayor's house. "How did things go with Wicke? Did you guys see her again? I forgot to say goodbye to her, she's gonna be _pissed_."

"We didn't see her! The waiter told us she was super busy with… something, I didn't get all that mumbo jumbo he talked about, but that's a shame! She gave us breakfast for free, I wanted to thank her for that!"

"Hm. That sucks." Then, Moon turns to Gladion, who is inspecting the building before them distractedly. "I guess you didn't see her either, eh?"

Much to her surprise, Gladion is listening. By the way his tone carries his distracted state, it's obvious he's been thinking about her question, and more specifically, Wicke. "No, I haven't."

The face of that woman and how surprised she had been to see him is burnt between his eyes like hellfire. He still wonders what could have triggered a reaction like that, so heartfelt and sincere. Wicke had been a familiar sight to behold, or maybe her kind eyes and easy smile had caused that reaction in him. He's not quite sure.

A few seconds after she's finished talking, Moon's eyes are still on him, thoughtful and in analysis. Before he can ask why she simply turns to the side and looks at the double doors before them. "Okay, let's see if the old man is in here. Also, he's got a _lot_ of cats. Don't panic."

"It will be fine. I doubt they will come to us anyway if we don't have food," Gladion argues, raising his fist to knock. "Hopefully, they won't bite."

Moon stands back, eyes scrunched in confusion while Hau laughs nervously. "Why would a cat bite you? They're not into edgy goth boys."

Much to his chagrin, Hau chimes in. "Yeah, dude, cats need proper food to have good health. And it ain't like you look that menacing, so you'll be fine!"

Moon offers Hau a fist he doesn't hesitate to bump. Gladion's right eyebrow twitches in agitation. "Why are you agreeing with her? I don't want a cat to bite me anyway!"

"Man, you never know what people are into." Hau cranes his head in Moon's direction while Gladion sighs and knocks on the door steadily. "Is it that bad? Or is it just… y'know, empirical curiosity?"

Gladion would have never thought he would hear Hau use a word so thick and complicated in his life. Moon chuckles. "I don't really know how bad it is. I just heard rumors around the town that the mayor has a _lot_ of cats, but I don't know the exact num–"

The doors to the mayor's home burst open and about four cats simultaneously jump on Gladion and make him fall back to the ground with one loud thud, causing Moon and Hau to look up in alarm where a man with a black shirt and loose gray pants comes to the door, nonchalantly addressing the situation as Gladion wiggles and grunts as the cats meow and run all over him.

"I just let you out _once_ and you decide to tear off the skin of one of our visitors?" He does nothing against this, however, and looks at his visitors while very much ignoring Gladion. "Oh, you must be the ones who knocked on the door. My cats don't like visitors, so they must think your friend here is a thief or something."

Moon drifts her eyes to the cats running all over the swordsman, who is still on the ground. She crouches to look at the cats more carefully and innocently picks one of them to inspect it. The kitty puts its paw on her cheek. "They're super cute! How come you have so many?"

"They come to my door and I don't have another option but to feed them. They're not bad guys, really. They don't take kindly to visitors, though." Moon hands the little kitty to Hau and it turns mellow immediately in Hau's arms, licking his jaw as the sorcerer laughs. "Well, except to that guy. I guess your friend is an exception."

Gladion is finally able to sit up. One of the cats has fallen asleep on his lap, and the others are walking around him while the blond looks at the mayor accusingly. "Please, put a tie on them. I'm not particularly fond of cats messing with my face."

He picks up the sleeping cat and slowly puts it on the ground, all while Moon approaches him from behind and grabs the hem of his dark shirt. "Damn. It's torn all over. You look like one old sack of potatoes. I guess the nickname fits you super well now, Gladbag."

The mayor shows a puzzled expression at that name, and Gladion rushes to explain but he ends up talking to Moon, instead. "Do you do this on purpose, Moon? Calling me _that_ in front of strangers just to confuse them?"

"Ah, Moon. _That_ 's your name," the mayor says, interrupting Gladion as he turns to look at him. Hau hands him the little kitten, and the mayor nods his head to let them in as he walks inside. "I was told that a girl by that name has been sitting on my doorstep several times and that the kids were kinda scared of her. I was wondering when you'd show up, kid."

Hau directs Moon a widened gaze of surprise. "Wait, so you were for real?"

Gladion's eyes turn dull as he looks at Hau as Moon looks at Hau with the same amount of disbelief. "She told you this story _minutes_ ago."

The mayor leaves the kitten on a small sofa to the right of the room. The place is smaller than what Gladion had expected: a desk at the end of the room, two aligned sofas right by the wall and what looks like a kitchen to their left, then stairs that ascend above the mayor's desk to a second floor. Everything is made of wood and has a significant amount of plants all over the place, which certainly doesn't match the appearance of the man in front of them.

His eyes are red, almost as red as Gladion's favorite color. His hair is gray with age, and evident dark rings hang under his eyes, yet something in his posture and gloomy appearance makes them look like part of the general disguise rather than the aftermath of a long night of work.

"I was told a kid had been banging on my door for hours and then sat down at my door and refused to leave. I didn't remember your name, but seeing ya', you do match the type."

Moon nods and thus proudly proclaims herself to be _that_ type. If that's good or bad is something Gladion doesn't know yet. "Yeah, that was me! Sorry if I was of any inconvenience, though. I just heard a retired monk was living here and I thought I'd drop say hi."

"Well, I was busy with, uh – let's call it work, so that's why I was gone. Nothing personal." Gladion sees Moon nod and he wonders how she can just be so _casual_ with people of ranks this high. "The name's Nanu. As you said, I'm a retired monk, yeah – specialized in martial arts and stuff, but still a monk. I've been away in a meeting with an old colleague of mine, Kukui, and he just refused to shut up. It's always a drag to meet up with him."

Gladion's eyes widen when he hears that name. "Wait, did you say Kukui?"

"Why? Do you know him?"

"Uh… sayin' we know him might be a stretch," says Hau, teeth pulled together. He's probably recalling all that happened when they met the guy, much like Gladion is doing right now. He had left a rather long-standing impression. "I think he wanted to show us some stuff? We don't know what was his deal, but we were in a hurry."

Moon hums in remembrance and Gladion and Hau's eyes shift _instantly_ to her. A grin curls her lips. "Mhm, I met him too. He was a super nice guy!"

" _He_ didn't like him," Hau adds, pointing a finger at Gladion and making the aforementioned throw him a glare. Hau grins back, clearly unfazed. "I wasn't super trustful of that guy either, but Gladbag looked like he was aboutta' murder him."

His glare becomes a bothered expression of annoyance, and Nanu looks at them with a thoughtful expression.

"So you met Kukui, eh? That's... interesting," he says in a voice so skeptical and quiet Gladion isn't sure he heard him correctly. Then, Nanu changes the topic. "What are you kids doing here, though? I don't think you're here for administrative biz', right? You don't look like you're from here."

"Right! We almost forgot." Moon, who has been leading the way and also had suggested coming here in the first place, decides to step up and explain. "We're in an official mission from the Empress herself. She told us about some relics that the Blackring could be looking for right now. She didn't know much, so I thought maybe you'd know more about that stuff."

The conversation had been too off-handed and vague for him to remember the details –, but it would be interesting to see exactly what the Blackring could be after, at least from the Empress' perspective.

Moon, however, seems to be asking for another reason entirely. It's a curious thing to see.

"Hm. Well, I guess I could tell ya' about that stuff. You're after those pirates, right? I guess you could put that knowledge to good use. Whatever." The three get their hopes up all too quickly, though, because Nanu is shaking his head, chuckling. "But all information has its price, kids."

Gladion blinks very slowly at the mayor, hands on his hips. "You… want our money?"

Hau nudges Moon with his elbow. "Got anything on you?"

"Me? My lifestyle costs me a lot of money, Hau," she coughs very seriously. "I also might or might not have spent all my salary in fixing my daggers, but if you need money, all we gotta do is–"

Gladion holds up a hand. "We're _not_ going to pillage another lost cave in the middle of nowhere just for fun, Moon. We already got a blanket from one _and_ destroyed a tomb. There's no need to wreak more havoc."

Caught in her game, she crosses her arms and looks to a side. Gladion and Hau chuckle at her childish behavior, but she only drops the gig when Nanu speaks again. "You kids take this stuff too seriously. No, I don't want money. I'd never take money for information. I was joking saying I'd charge for it." He doesn't let them get hopeful yet, though. "Your friend here reminded me that I'm looking for something, though."

"What is it? We'll find it in no time!" says Hau, arms bent behind his back while Moon holds up a fist in encouragement.

"Yeah! We're the best treasure hunters of this Dominion and the next! Nothing escapes us!"

Gladion doesn't contribute to this enthusiasm. "We're cave raiders at best, but I guess we _are_ pretty capable."

His words rain on Moon and Hau's parade like a flood, and he can _feel_ the disappointment radiating behind him.

Nanu arches an eyebrow at the uncanny display. He nods reluctantly. "As long as you can climb some rocks, you should be fine. I don't want anybody dying in there, so you'll have to be careful," he assures, but it looks more like a warning. "I lost my gauntlets in the foundry last week and I really can't be bothered to go grab them, so I guess you could go fetch them in exchange for that information you ask for."

Their disappointment has turned into a piercing glare that he turns to face, seeing Moon and Hau stare at him with narrowed and very accusing eyes, very much blaming him for this extra hassle he had brought about. Gladion can't help but gulp, knowing they have a point.

"Right," he coughs, looking back at Nanu. "Where do we have to go, exactly?"

"There's a cave that leads to the ruins of a foundry. They're at the back of the town. You'll see everything is full of fences and stuff but that's just so the kids don't get in. Feel free to get rid of it. I'll put it back up later," Nanu explains, nodding to himself. "I went down there on a patrol and the gauntlets just dropped from my bag."

"There are no people there, right? Like, pirates and stuff." Gladion and Moon turn to Hau with slight frowns on their faces, seeing the sorcerer fidget with the hem of his shirt. "I don't wanna hurt anybody just because they're on our way."

"There shouldn't be anybody there. If they are, though, you can kick 'em out of there. I said nobody can get in there, so they _can't_. I might be retired but I'm still an authority. It's draining to go there, though, so I guess it's up to you three now." Their shoulders sag in exasperation. "I'll be right here waiting for you, in case you get a lil' bruise on your knee. The dungeon isn't that deep to start with, so you should be done in no time."

Hau's expression picks up at the word _dungeon_ – even though at this point, any sort of cave could be called a dungeon. Moon's does as well, but nothing beats Hau's grin and excited pose as he says the following:

"Dude, that's sweet! We're gonna go explore a dungeon for my birthday, we're gonna have a blast!"

Birthday.

_Birthday._

Moon and Gladion turn their heads in Hau's direction very, very slowly.

"Your _what_!?"

* * *

"So," begins Moon as they approach the entrance to the cave Nanu had mentioned, "it's your birthday today."

Hau, blissfully ignorant of their confusion, nods with a smile. "Well, not really. Technically, it was yesterday."

"...and you did _not_ tell us," finishes Gladion. Moon and he are walking slowly, each of them to Hau's side in a rather conspicuous attempt to not let him escape if he tries to because their curiosity is much more powerful than their politeness.

"It ain't like I planned not to tell you! I don't really keep up with dates like that, but I asked Lillie what day it was the other day and she told me and I… well, I just remembered!" He has run ahead now, standing in their way. His face is shrunk into alarm at the disappointment on their faces.

Well, Moon's irritation is always hysterically childish, but Gladion now knows better than to think she can't get angry.

"How is it even possible you know when your birthday is, though? And why didn't you simply tell us?" she asks.

"I just _never_ celebrate my birthdays. Not to be all gloomy and stuff but I never had anybody to celebrate it with, so I simply _didn't_ and I lived my life. I bet I've forgotten about it a lot of times, so I ain't used to celebrating it anyway. No big deal!"

"It _is_ a big deal!" she insists, walking up to him and poking him on the forehead with her index. He hisses and rubs the sore spot. "We spent your birthday _walking_! It's ridiculous."

Gladion nods in agreement. "Yeah, even I will admit I wouldn't have minded knowing. We could have made a detour and stopped in a village to celebrate."

" _Or_ we could've even delayed our departure and stayed in Zeffarei!"

That is _not_ something he agrees with. "No need to exaggerate, either."

With a big smile, Moon stomps her feet on the ground and raises a fist in a show of hypothetical dominance. "It's true! The Empress wouldn't have minded it at all, and if she _did_ , trust me I'd kick her off her throne and claimed the crown for myself!"

Gladion's eyes squint in skepticism. Moon seems to feel his stare just by his silence, so she turns to him with a questioning eyebrow. "That sounds close to blasphemy, and I doubt you could run a tag team on your own, let alone a whole Empire."

And then, a grin, crinkling her eyes in malice. "As if you'd be any better! You'd dress everyone in dark suits and they'd spend the night singing sad songs and stabbing each other on the back!"

A familiar look, a challenge for a fight– it all lingers in the air for one second before Hau starts laughing between them, clutching his stomach as the mirage fades and Moon snickers at him, causing Gladion to look away. She always manages to rile him up like this and it's _terrible_.

He used to have some sort of patience but Moon wears that thin.

"Dude, you two are hilarious. You're a handful but you totally make walks as long as this super fun!" The sorcerer walks up to them and squishes himself in the middle, then swings his arms around their shoulders with a beaming smile. "See? We're almost like a family!"

Moon laughs as she's pushed into the side embrace. Gladion simply lets himself be hugged– after all, he's gotten too few hugs in his life, so he may as well enjoy the truly genuine ones. "Whatever. We should keep going. We will think about your birthday later."

Seeing the issue has not been dropped yet, Hau lets go of him and shakes his head with a sardonic smile. "Dude, it's fine!"

"Still," Moon sneaks out of Hau's embrace and walks forward, arms behind her back as she looks back at the sorcerer with her head tilted. "How do you know about your birthday, though? I thought amnesia and memories don't really match, right?"

"Um, actually…" Hau's hand sinks into the pocket of his pants, but he takes nothing out. It reminds Gladion of how he behaves when he fumbles with the pendant in his pocket. "I got it engraved in my pocket watch, I think… yeah, _that_ pocket watch."

Gladion notices something is hesitant in his expression, but before he can mention it, Moon nods and walks away from them. "We'll figure something out, but we gotta get the show on the road. Those shiny gauntlets aren't gonna wait forever."

As Moon rubs her hands and smiles at the entrance to the cave, Gladion can already feel one hell of a headache coming. "You _cannot_ keep the gauntlets."

"I _know_! But that doesn't mean there's not gonna be other good stuff hidden in there! The place is closed for a reason, right?"

"Nanu just told us it was so the kids don't get in, but you are making me think you might be one of the kids Nanu wants to keep at bay."

Hau snorts loudly, then begins laughing while Moon turns from the entrance and folds her arms, smile still up and proud. "You just still don't believe my scientifically proven theory about caves hiding treasures! I bet Nanu just wants all the good stuff for himself."

"Dude, your hunting obsession is gonna cost you a rib or two someday," Hau comments, but before she can protest, they're standing in front of the entrance.

The mouth to the cave has been blocked with slates of wood, firmly stapled to the wooden frames of the cave with iron nails. The surface looks rather worn out by humidity and what seems to be hits from other people trying to punch their way in, but at face value, the entrance is thoroughly blocked.

Hau's expression quivers as he stares at the barrier. "When the mayor said the entrance was blocked, he wasn't kiddin', eh?"

"This is… truly keeping the place closed," comments Gladion, incredulously staring at the barrier as though it will open on its own. "Maybe we can use your magic, Hau. Though I'm worried about the cave not being structurally sound when the spell is done."

"Then? What are we gonna do?"

It takes exactly one second for Moon raise her leg and, with one swift and precise kick, the wooden planks crack at the center and create a tremendous gap in the center with the impact, the seams of the structure falling off their seams as the chips splash on the other two startled warriors.

After the deed has been done, Moon dedicates them a confident smirk before jumping past the crack and into the cave, completely ignorant of the splinters around the edges of her precarious entrance.

Her legs are a force to be reckoned with and Gladion wishes he wouldn't keep staring at them like she had just grown them out of thin air.

Her stories about kicking doors open are, indeed, no invention.

Hau and Gladion step into the den way more carefully than she did. The cave is all blues and blacks, surrounded by pearls of aquamarine, turquoise, and midnight blue. It's dotted with crystals of every purple and blue color, then dark stone and glossy surfaces with water gliding across the smooth ends.

Moon stands at the side of the steep, _very_ steep slope down the cave. It is so deep down there that Gladion thinks they could fall and climb their way back. There's a dim light coming from the depths of the cavern, greenish and foggy in its consistency.

"'Kay, folks." He hears the distinct sound of Moon clapping her hands against her thighs. "Time to get going! Careful when going down, this looks kinda tricky to walk down."

He doesn't need to be told twice to comply. Versed in this sort of terrain after too many dangerous trips with Moon, he simply walks sideways, tilting his body away from the slope and treading carefully. Hau is tiptoeing forward, squirming and whimpering noises of terror whenever he would feel something is off with the terrain.

They're halfway through the slope when a blur of speed brushes past them, and then, two symphonic thuds of graceful landing echo around them and a snicker too confident to be anybody else's but Moon's follows suit. "Guys, you gotta check this out! Imma go ahead, okay?"

Her voice is carried by the bubbling echo around them. Gladion sighs. "Try not to get your leg caught in a bear trap!"

A hum of agreement, cheery and bouncing away from their hearing distance. Hau swings his eyes towards Gladion in doubt. "Dude, a bear trap? Really?"

"She told me she almost got her leg trapped in one. I told her she was lying, but then she showed me a scar on her ankle," he explains calmly, to which Hau clams up and gulps. "She just can't avoid staying out of trouble.

Hau grins cheekily as they reach the end of the slope. "But here you are still, eh? You two are like magnets, man."

"That might be the most insulting thing you have told me this far, but I can't be bothered to be angry about it."

The other begins to laugh at this but when he puts his eyes on the immense chamber before them, all traces of mirth disappear and are replaced by unbidden shock. Thousands of pieces of debris and industrial structures are scattered all around the room and cover the ground, sans for a few spots that are devoid of the rubble. The ceiling is infinitely high and dissolves into black, yet there is a turquoise veil of light that glistens under the shifting rays of afternoon sunshine between columns of rock that hold the ceiling up.

At the end of the chamber, there's a figure standing tall, holding a pair of gauntlets with one hand and something _big_ with the other. "Guys, look at what I found! I told ya' we would find some stuff here!"

Gladion and Hau witness Moon skidding down the slope of rubble and jumping from rubble-less gap to another to reach them. The closer she gets, the more confused Gladion grows with what she's holding. "How… did you find the gauntlets so quickly?"

"Look at them, they're made of copper! All of this is rusty and old, it's like a pearl in the sea!" Moon hands the gauntlets to Hau, who has no time to inspect the item in question before they realize Moon is holding a small creature in her hands. "Also, look at this guy! Doesn't it look pretty?"

Gladion is only able to identify what it is when she holds it up to them. It's a robotic Carbink, but it's turned off. The lack of light behind its beady eyes is nearly haunting in its emptiness.

Hau, however, has no clue what this creature could be. "That's super cute! What is it?"

"A Carbink," responds Gladion dryly. He reaches out a hand to touch the smooth surface of the robot's ears. "It's a mining robot. It spins and carves out stone. I believe the ears can pierce through diamonds, even."

"Woah! So it's a drilling machine?"

"Basically." Gladion withdraws his hand. His mind is instantly taken back to the books on history Faba would force him to read. "Carbink is shaped after the figure of… well, Carbink, the mythological creature. The story says that Carbinks would drill their way through walls, rocks, and even mountains to be with their beloved. They make a fitting model."

Moon grins smugly at him. "Never thought you'd be such a sap, Gladbag. That's a very romantic story!"

The blond, far from giving in to her tease, simply shrugs. "It's simple mythology. I doubt the workers here designed it because of a thrilling romance. This place is _huge_ , though, so it proves these Carbinks did a really good job."

Hau bends down to be face to face with the creature, then smiles as he pets the robot. "You did great, buddy! I wish I could see ya' drilling through mountains and beyond."

Moon, hugging the Carbink to her chest, also pets the gem perched on top of the robot's head. "I guess it can't be fixed, right? I would've loved to see it doing its thing."

"Yeah, dude. It sucks."

Gladion considers what he's seeing with genuine intent. Hau and Moon are looking at the robot with eyes so soft and kind he really has to wonder if the people in front of him are actually _them_ , his companions that might annoy him from time to time, but they are still there, with him, looking after an old Carbink like it's still functioning; they regard it with the same naïvety of a child.

But they're not children. Moon might kick things down and thrash around like one, but she has the experience and sharp tongue and wit that only an adult would have. Hau might be softer around the edges than her, but he certainly has shown spurts of maturity and great depth.

Gladion, on the other hand, is hard on all edges, but as time has begun to pass with these two people by his side, it might be that he's not completely made of stone because these small occurrences of theirs aren't as unreasonable anymore.

They are all adults, but entertaining a small candid image doesn't need to be always bad.

"We can always ask Nanu about it. They might have some working ones in another cave."

Moon's eyes flutter in surprise and she looks up to see him ignoring their wide eyes and Hau's sudden laughter of happiness and his joyful jumping. "That's awesome! We gotta get outta here, then! I wanna see those Carbinks mining those diamonds. Maybe we can get Lillie some of the stuff the Carbinks carve out of the wall, too! She'll love that!"

Hau takes the lead and runs out of the chamber at a steady pace. Moon, however, leaves the Carbink in a comfortable position against a wall and dusts off her clothes while Gladion walks away from the chamber, too. Hau's yells for them to hurry make him shake his head, and Moon catches him in the act.

"It's very sweet of you," Moon says when she catches up, her step steady and almost jumpy, regarding him with a smile that then grows into a grin. "Y'know, saying that. You're more considerate than you let on, Gladbag. Maybe frowning less would do you some good, you know what I said about frowning and wrinkles!"

He's about to retract himself from all kindness in his words before she's laughing and running away from him, up the slope and away from the dark cave of shiny diamonds and cold rocks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the little Pokémon-as-legends-and-folklore bit here with my heart and Gladion is starting to care very much about his friends and it's lovely I ALSO LOVE THE AESTHETIC OF THE EMISSARY'S FACTORY IT'S ALL RED TREES AND VINTAGE WINDMILLS AND EVERYTHING IS BEAUTIFUL ;___; (as per usual in the Aedus Empire VFFJKDESLD)
> 
> next chapter we're gonna take out our chef hats and recipe books kids because it's Hau's birthday and c: WE NEED TO CELEBRATE
> 
> (loving the subtle lona bonding too because this is gonna be the mood for the rest of the arc)


	11. Almond Pie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion and Moon bake Hau a pie and make the ordeal much harder than it's meant to be.

"You kids brought the gauntlets? I'm surprised you were this quick about it."

Moon leaves the desired items on the desk along with a courtesy grin. "We said we'd get this for you, and we never disappoint." Hands on her hips, she stands proud before his desk. Gladion and Hau stand at the back. "We're the best treasure hunting team, you can count on that!"

"Well, you didn't disappoint, that's for sure." Nanu shakes his wrist to make his watch roll into view. "What time is it anyway? Aren't you kids tired of running around? Most people would be sleeping at this hour."

Hau nods. "We're used to staying up 'til ungodly hours! Aren't ya' tired yourself?"

 _Goodness gracious_ between Moon's uncalled for casualness with authorities and Hau's inability to read the mood, Gladion is one busy man on the verge of a heart attack. Nanu doesn't mind Hau's question, though, and chuckles it off like it's not a blatant disrespect in Gladion's books– books that, in hindsight, were given to him by a narcissistic doctor with zero actual manners.

"Mayors gotta stay up doing mayor stuff. I was also sorta curious to see if you kids would come back. Some kids have fallen into that cave and broken a leg or two."

Disapproving, Gladion folds his arms. "I can see why. I hope the entrance will be sealed again soon."

"Mhm. Of course." While Gladion doesn't find any sort of evil intent in Nanu's behavior, he has seen several laid-back deliveries that tick him off very badly. "I guess you're also here for that history lesson, huh? I doubt you'd just wanna visit an old grumpy man like me."

At least he admits he's grumpy. Moon nods enthusiastically and pulls a chair from the desk, sitting on it rapidly while Gladion and Hau approach from behind. Hau quietly takes the other seat. "We'd love to hear about the relics! Unless you wanna go to bed. I know these two must be dying for a bed right now."

"I can stay up for a while longer, thank you very much." He says, disgruntled. Moon cackles to herself and Hau nods in agreement. "We shouldn't make this any longer than it needs to be, though."

"Roger that," responds Nanu, leaning back on his leather chair. He twiddles his thumbs as his expression grows thoughtful. "The relics, huh? There's not much to be said about them, really. They're basically small storages with an oversaturated source of raw chi. There are a few scattered all around the region, but a few of them remain in the Solaris Monastery. Looks like somebody got scared of dark chi reaching a place as pure as that, so they filled the relics with chi and use them as protection."

"What are they for, though?" asks Moon. "I haven't heard much buzz about them other than how powerful they are."

"As far as I know, when that… _issue_ with the Karee Empire happened, several talismans are what prevented the dark chi from spreading outside the limits of the Bleakdross Incursion. I think that there's one of them in the Orchard of Souls to keep things balanced, but because the dark chi sorta _bounced_ back into the lands of Bleakdross, the land is just oversaturated with dark chi," Nanu explains, sighing heavily.

"So… the talismans are basically like storages of chi? That's all they are?" asks Hau. He sounds disappointed, almost.

"Technically, yeah," responds Nanu, nodding his head. "They fight any source of dark chi and either deflect it or destroy it when in direct contact. They used to be simple necklaces with small amounts of chi for sorcerers, but that's not that common now. What few vessels that exist now are full to the brim with raw chi." The mayor scratches his jaw, and Gladion hears the faint noise of a stub against his nail. "Perhaps there are a few in Bakiria, but I can't be sure. That's just a wasteland."

It now makes sense why the Blackring could be looking for those relics. If they hold so much chi within them, the higher-ups of that company could want to use them for ill purposes– which, thinking back to the cruelty they had shown on the battlefield and to the little kids in Gemstone Village and Ludwig town, might not be ideal. Not at all.

It could be terrifying.

"So… storages of chi," Moon murmurs, hands on the table as she drums her nails on the smooth wood of his desk. "Was the corruption from the incident in the Karee Empire that bad?"

Nanu tilts his head in askance. "I assume you three know what happened, right?"

Moon and Hau nod, much to Gladion's surprise and irritation. He holds up a hand, annoyed. "I only know the basics. Captain Ilima told me some people opened a portal to the Dark Realm and it basically ate away the territory of the Karee."

"It was one person." The blond whips his head to find Moon's chin propped on her two hands, eyes narrowed in focus. "Just one."

He doesn't know what to make of that remark of hers, but if it had been one single person, then it's a reason to be alarmed about it. Nanu speaks again. "There aren't many recounts of what happened back then, but… yeah, I can personally assure you it was just one person. I'm sure about it."

The three's eyes widen like saucers at this brazen statement. The fact that a man as Nanu could have an answer this nuanced and confident is jarring with his behavior thus far. There might be a pearl of certain wisdom they haven't unveiled just yet, maybe, and that's what Hau now sets out to find out.

"Sorry if I sound rude, but…" Nanu arches an eyebrow and Hau's voice grows even more hesitant. "How do you know about all of this? As far as I know, nobody in the kingdom made it out alive, right?"

"Well, yeah, but knowing about the Karee Empire is basic Saint Riftwalker knowledge, kid. It's not rocket science."

If his eyes were wider before, they are even wider now. Nanu suddenly changes before his eyes, the shape of a man worn thin by age growing into one of vast knowledge and probably inhumane abilities if what he's heard is correct– people who have shrines, parties and even _days_ in their honor. They are almost like deities, they are _saints_ , close to the peak of maximum knowledge and so far away from the humble folk it's unbelievable they might have one of them, sitting before them with a smirk on his face.

"What's up? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"You…" Moon's voice comes out impressed. "You are a Saint Riftwalker?"

"A _retired_ one. I got too tired to go around running like a panther, so I quit." Nanu's red eyes focus on Gladion, now, a glint of mean mockery shining from his irises. "And so is Kukui, by the way. If you offended him in any way, you offended a Saint Pathwalker. He might not look like much, but he could give you a beating without as much of a blink, kid."

Thinking about all he said and possibly communicated solely by his body language, Gladion gulps. "Dude, is that why he literally disappeared into the water? Is that a thing you guys do!?"

"That's very extra, but it could be, yeah. Kukui has always been a bit of a stray bullet in that sense, so simply humor him."

Gladion's eyes turn to Moon, who catches his stare and sticks her tongue out in his direction.

"But yeah, I used to be one of his crew. I didn't get to see who did it, but it's a thing we know, all of us. We don't know if the guy is alive or dead, but it's pretty much impossible to survive being at the frontlines and at the core of the surge of dark chi." Nanu sighs again, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It was one hell of a mess, I'll tell you that."

Moon scoots closer to the desk in sudden interest. "Who was this guy, though?"

Gladion is curious as well, and so is Hau, who drags his chair an inch closer. Nanu gives them a glance-over, noticing their eagerness, and grunts. "Telling this story is always a damn drag, but… whatever." The mayor's eyes flicker with a glint of hardness. "The perpetrator of the attack was, apparently, the actual hero of the army. A very strong guy. He won most wars for the Karee Empire almost single-handedly."

"That is… impressive," Gladion says, eyes wide in shock.

"It _was_ impressive. They called him _The Fist of Light_ , that's how much they loved him there. The amount of chi within him was immeasurable, so much so that they decided to name him a saint, too."

"A _saint_!?" yelps Hau in disbelief, grimacing. "Isn't that a bit exaggerated, to call someone a Saint Riftwalker because he won a few battles?"

"No, kid. Saint Riftwalkers aren't named saints because of their feats, but because of their abilities. It takes a few feats for that ability to be proven, sure, but the adventure doesn't make the saint; the experience does." Knowing this, Gladion wonders what Kukui was following them for, too. "In any case, I never met the guy personally. I don't think anybody did, actually, but he was named a saint and I guess he thought that was enough leverage for him to try and aim for the crown."

"You mean, the crown of the Emperor?" asks Moon, who is almost all over the desk as she listens to Nanu.

"Yeah. But the guy never got what he wanted, so it's widely assumed that he became enraged and opened a portal to the Dark Realm to acquire the power he needed, and thus disappeared along with the whole Karee Empire."

After that, a long silence invades the room, thick in tension and abruptness. Gladion would have never expected anyone named _hero_ to go to such extents just for power, but people can sometimes become desperate for what they want, he guesses. Still, the thought of somebody going that far just for power, greed, and malice stirs fear and dread within him, so much so he suddenly feels angry and very much upset people like that man could exist.

His companions are less reactionary. Hau has become pale, and Moon has gone silent in contemplation. "And nobody knows who it could be, right?"

"And nobody has bothered to discover their identity, either. It happened fifteen years ago, maybe a bit less, and that guy must have fucked off into the void with the Dark Lord as well. Opening a portal that big would consume anybody's soul and chi like wildfire in a forest. It destroyed _everything_ in the Karee Empire."

"How does… dark chi simply _destroy_ , though? When Gladion and I went there, everything was all dark and gloomy. And torn to pieces. Like, _yikes_."

Hau's question inspires a sigh out of Nanu again. He has the face of somebody who either smokes or is _dying_ to do so now. "I think that there was a fire before that. I heard reports of a fire going on in the whole Empire because that man had caused a riot and everyone went insane. Chi, though, can also cause corrosion on certain structures that have been exposed to normal air with normal chi for a long time. I'm not gonna explain all that stuff to you– you got a staff, so you probably know more than anyone else here."

The sorcerer nods, albeit in doubt. It's not the smartest idea to place the burden of knowledge on a boy as insecure about that as Hau, but he seems to be taking it well.

"So… the talismans." Moon brings the topic back on track, seeing it wasn't going anywhere. "They are simply raw power. In a glass."

"Yeah. The power they hold is immeasurable with numbers."

Hau and Moon share a look of distress – Hau's very evident, Moon just looks a bit tired – and they send it to Gladion, who takes it upon himself to tell the situation to Nanu.

"I have to do everything all the time, don't I?" he says with frowned eyebrows.

Moon grins cheekily, but there is a bit less intensity than what Gladion would have expected. "You always show off a very high-level vocabulary. Put it to good use, Gladbag."

He grunts in irritation, but it turns into a sigh when he sees Nanu looking at them in faint confusion. "The Empress has informed us that the Blackring might be after the relics hidden in the Solaris Monastery. And she's also expressed that she wants us to fight them, and we really don't, um, know how."

Moon nods and picks it up from there because this is another of the reasons why they came here. "I was hoping you'd give us some advice about that, too. We wouldn't mind fighting the whole army on our own but I got a feeling Gladion might throw a fit if we take a step in their direction without a plan."

"Of course I would! Remember what happened last time?" God, sometimes he thinks she has the mental capacity of a tin man.

Moon, however, dismisses him. "The thing is, I agree with him this time. I hate to say it, but I'd rather we kick their asses prepared. It would be ten times cooler."

Nanu's reaction to the news is clearly one of disgust, evident in his groan. "Well, that's one hell of a problem." A pause. Then, a shrug after what looks like minutes of deep thinking. "Though I don't see why you can't take one talisman and use it to gather power against the Blackring Company. I doubt you will empty the whole thing, so it shouldn't be a big deal. It's not like the Blackring is that powerful– at least, not compared to a frustrated hero with a knack for the Dark Realm."

Three pairs of eyes widen considerably at this option.

"Wait, _use_ it?" Nanu nods at Hau. "How can we _use_ them?"

"As I said, they're just storing raw chi. It might be a bit harsh on your bodies, but I doubt the kickback effect will be that severe. There should be one somewhere in the Orchard of Souls back in Bleakdross, so you can freely take it for some time," Nanu explains. "Think of it like drinking a shot of harsh liquor, but I doubt you kids have even drunk alcohol before."

Hau shakes his head vehemently. "Dude, sorcerers are super light-weight. If I have one of those, I'll pass out on my own drool. Not cool."

Wrinkling his nose, Gladion grinds his teeth. "No need to be so specific. That just sounds gross."

Moon's eyes drift to the pair slowly, darting from man to man. "I bet he's just bitter because he's a lightweight too." Gladion turns to her, his irritation growing by the second. "But it's not like I can drink that much, either. I'm curious to see a drunk Gladbag, though."

"You will never see me like that, I'm afraid."

"Ahem." The bickering three turn to the mayor. His eyes are as hard as ever, yet amusement crinkles at his eyes like wrinkled paper. He looks much older when he's that serious, thinks Gladion. "I guess you should go to bed. I don't want your parents complaining to me about that. That'd be a drag."

The sorcerer arches an eyebrow. "Dude, we're in our twenties."

Nanu arches one right back. "Then it might be a good idea to drop the cutesy smiles. I don't think you'll be allowed into a decent pub with that behavior."

Moon leans back on the chair, rubbing her hands with a grin. "If they don't believe us, I'll get us identifications and make-up, then! Imagine we need water and they just don't let us enter– that's ridiculous!"

"I hope you don't mean _stealing_."

"It wouldn't be stealing if we give it back later, right?"

_Goddammit._

* * *

Nanu is nice enough to let them stay in his residence for the night. The mayor encourages them to attend the festivities that will take place the following day – if telling them 'come or whatever, it should be fun' can be called encouragement. Gladion, Moon, and Hau organize the night so that Hau gets the guest bed, Gladion gets the sofa and Moon curls herself into the one-place couch of Nanu's residence.

Moon insists on Hau keeping the bed as a birthday gift, and Hau, as sweet and kind as he is, tells them that it's fine, that he can take the couch, but Moon pushes him into the guest room and puts a chair under the doorknob, telling him she won't remove it from the door until she's sure he's fallen asleep. She also uses the fact that he had saved their lives as an excuse, but it's also said too earnestly for him to think she doesn't feel any different.

"This could be classified as kidnapping," Gladion comments as he sees Moon sit on the chair. He considers her ridiculous, but he still waits beside her for Hau to sleep. "You're lucky Nanu doesn't seem to care about us being here at all."

"If I'm a kidnapper then you're gonna come to jail with me for obeying when I asked you for the chair," she replies a pinch mean, and Gladion shuts up with that.

The only surprise comes when she asks him for their blanket because in her opinion ' _he has no right to say the blanket is his just because he uses it more_ ', so she aims to use it again to prove her very stupid and worthless point.

Letting go of the blanket is harder than it should have been, maybe because he's slept with it for a long time now or because he's letting her win, he isn't sure.

Gladion still gives her the blanket. She curls it around her. He knows it will be wrinkly the next day. Whatever.

When he wakes up the following morning, a cat is sleeping on his chest, another on his leg, and the first thing he registers are subtle notes of a sweet smell sneaking into the living room area.

He groggily stirs and looks up, making the cats withdraw from their positions. The ceiling is washed in rays of sunlight and pastels, birds cooing outside. It resounds with a certain echo, something blissful for sunrise but too noisy for Gladion's all too sensitive mood.

With a guttural grunt, he sits up. The sofa had not been particularly comfortable, but it had definitely cushioned his sore back for the night. It had been better than the grass and rain of the forest, that's for sure.

Speaking of rain, he also has to use the shower. He has a change of clothes in his backpack and then will ask Nanu where he can wash his current ones. As he stalks away to where he had been told the bathroom is, the scent of sweetness and sugar chases him. He can't quite pinpoint what it could be, but he's smelled it before.

About ten minutes and a cold shower later, Gladion is walking down the stairs when the smell from earlier tickles his nostrils again, so he sets out to find what that could be about.

Sunlight showers the kitchen and covers the countertops, pots, spoons, and plants scattered all over the table. Some places are cast in the shadow, and a gentle breeze comes from outside as the window is left open. Plants and flowers move outside the windowpane as the wind rocks them, but the figure at the lead of the kitchen is too focused to pay attention to the gentle morning outside and around her.

Gladion _does_ notice the mess all around Moon, though. "What are you doing, so early in the morning?"

All but startled, she turns around. Her expression immediately brightens, a smile filling her cheeks. "Morning, Gladbag. You're up kinda late, aren't you?"

"What time is it?"

"Hm…" Only when she turns around further to look at the clock does he notice a bowl of batter in her arms, a hand steadily stirring the mix. "About ten in the morning."

Yeah, that _is_ late. Faba had tamed him to get up with the cry of sunrise, not with the cry of Moon probably doing her absolute best to destroy poor Nanu's kitchen. "Second question," Gladion stretches his arms, then curves his back. "What in the world are you doing?"

"Oh, that!" Moon looks back to the mess around her as Gladion approaches her and said mess. There are cracked eggs all around her, flour spilled at her feet and sugar sprinkling the countertop. "Nanu gave me this recipe book and I, uh, tried to do some pastries and cookies but that didn't work out. I have done some galettes, I don't know if you know what those are–"

Arms folded, he nods. "Of course I do."

"– they are sweets from a place I visited a long time ago and I kinda wanted to give it a try. I don't know if they turned out alright, though. I was aiming for a nice round pastry and it ended up a bit rough. I'm trying to do something else now."

"If you are aiming for chaos, I guess you are getting pretty close." Moon nearly takes out the spoon and hits him with it, but he takes a cautious step away from her. "What's that smell?"

Her shoulders perk up and she turns quickly to a pan she's put to rest on the stove. "I'm toasting some chopped almonds. I don't know what Hau likes, but I guess he'll like anything with a pound of sugar, so…"

So _that's_ the sweet scent he had smelled before. Moon has left the batter on the counter, precariously sitting on a handful of flour. Gladion takes a look at the mixture. "What is this for?"

"Oh, that's just pancakes– probably the only thing I know how to do well." Moon turns her head from the almonds to see Gladion staring at the batter, eyes narrowed. "You can't eat it. I'm not gonna let you have any pancakes if you even dip a finger into the mixture, they're for me!"

"Hmph. As if I would ever try anything you bake. That will end up in disaster." He, however, doesn't think the pancake mix looks bad at all. He has never learned how to make pancakes since he has little to no interest in sweets, but the batter looks about right. "I assume the cake is for Hau's birthday, right?"

She says something between a 'yeah' and an 'of course', both at the same time as she hurries to stir the almond powder. "If I'm not gonna get him a gift, I can bake him one."

He blankly looks at the almond mix, which is presenting pieces too dark to not be burnt. "You want to give him free food poisoning?"

Moon grins at him, teeth and all. "Don't worry, I'm only gonna poison your slices. Hau will be fine!" She stirs the mix a little bit more, then turns down the heat until the flame under her pan has turned dimmer. "You could help out a little. I gotta measure the powdered sugar and all, and I'd say the almonds are about ready."

There is a grain of hesitation in her voice that leads him to believe she seeks confirmation, so he leans to her side and nods curtly, to which she sighs in relief. "At least if I help out, you won't poison my food, which would be nice of you not to do."

Moon blatantly ignores his request and points at the eggs on a box, the few that are left unscathed. "Grab five of them and beat them. Yolks, white and all nice and pretty."

He's surprised Moon isn't following a recipe book for this. The fact that she's failed to make cookies and _whatever_ that goo on the wall is but is successfully making a cake that requires _toasting almonds_ kind of appalls him. She's seemingly eyeballing it because there are no measuring utensils near her.

"Do you even know what you– _we_ are doing?"

"Of course!" Moon exclaims, dumping the almond mix into a separate bowl and setting the pan aside. Gladion cracks another egg, and the yolk plops in with a pleasing noise. "Other than pancakes, I can also cook a good almond cake." A pause. "Sorta. I haven't done it in ages."

"And you are trusting your gut to make this?" Gladion's hand hovers over the counter as he looks for something to beat the eggs with. He finds the whisks and steadily beats the eggs. "When was the last time you made this cake? I have never seen you cook."

Moon reaches for the packet of sugar blindly, finds it, looks at its containers and reads the label carefully, and takes the extra step to dip a finger into the sugar to make sure it's not salt. "It's a recipe I was taught when I was very little. I never found the proper ingredients to make it, so I haven't done it in a while."

While Moon is aimlessly looking for something, she almost hits the packet of sugar with her elbow, but Gladion swiftly pulls the sack away from her right before she looks back at the counter. She shifts her eyes to Gladion, who is still beating the eggs and is now reaching for the almond powder, surprising her greatly with his intuition.

Seeing her arched eyebrows and how she's scooting closer – whether it is to make sure he doesn't screw up adding the almond or just to tick him off, he's not sure – he explains himself. "I know how to cook pretty well. I have no clue how to make Hau's malasadas, but I know about cooking."

Well, he knows only the basics but he's not going to admit _that_.

She nods and watches him stir and beat the mixture. Her silence and interest are deeply unsettling, but the very subtle pride he feels at finally beating her at something makes up for the silence.

Moon walks away then. Her steps resonate behind him and then a few feet away. He guesses she must be rummaging through the cabinets. "Do you like cinnamon?"

"Not particularly."

"Does _Hau_ like cinnamon?"

"It's highly likely he does."

" _Perfect._ " On her way to him, Moon also grabs a lemon from a fruit basket. "Shoo. I'm gonna do this part, just grab me a spoon and a grater."

"A _grater_? You want to add cheese to this?"

"Of course not! I'm gonna add lemon zest to the batter! How dumb can you get in the morning?" Gladion emits an inhuman growl as she continues stirring. Her hand is still held out, fingers wiggling. "Spoon. Grater."

The thought of using lemon for the cowardly and sinful act of _grating_ it sounds so overwhelmingly chaotic it comes to him that yeah, of course Moon would grate a lemon. He hands her the devil's utensil with a bit more force than necessary and slaps her palm with the spoon, and she twirls her spoon – much like she'd do with her daggers – and hits him on the forehead with it.

Gladion grunts and touches the sore spot with murderous eyes. "What was that for!?"

"Don't look at me like I'm disgusting. At least I don't have flour all over my shirt."

The blond has no time to oppose that statement because when he looks down, there's flour and sugar all over his shirt; and worse, when he tries to pat it off, the remains stain and dye his dark shit white. "You had flour all over the counter. Of course I will get it on me, too."

"Hm. I think I might've made too much batter…?" Moon peers over the bowl as she makes the decision of not listening to him, which makes his eyes turn blankly indignant. "Welp, I guess Hau is gonna get an extra big cake– or maybe two!"

"You want to make him _two_ cakes? You added half a pound of sugar into the batter. He will collapse."

"He deserves them! He's constantly putting up with your edgy shit and you should be more appreciative of that."

"He has to put with yours far more than mine, and you have somehow managed to miss the point."

Moon dips the spoon into the cinnamon jar and sprinkles a spoonful of it into the previously bright concoction. It now looks weirdly dark. "Hau can take that and more– where did Nanu leave the mold?" She stops stirring the batter for a second to look into the oven, and she takes out two stacked trays with one circular mold on top. "Yeah, he can take the sugar. I still gotta see if it'll fit, though."

With Gladion's help, Moon can pour the heavy batter into the mold. It fits nicely in the constraints, and she grabs the tray to give it a few shakes so she can get rid of a few bubbles.

When she's sure the batter has been evenly distributed on the mold, she quickly introduces it on the oven– yet Gladion's eyes are fixed on something else; more specifically, on the spots of batter that have jumped from the bowl to her nose and forehead. When she wipes off some sweat off her cheek, she also gets the batter off, but the spot on her forehead still burdens him for some reason.

"In the end, we didn't need this tray, so that's good. Hau might've appreciated the extra cake but–"

Moon yelps as something looms, unrolls and hits square on the center of her forehead _hard_. She rubs the spot and looks up to incriminate an offender and she finds Gladion with his hand suspended between them, a smirk threatening to break past his usually impassive features.

"You got the batter all over your face. You know no other ways to cook other than making a mess, do you?"

"Did you have to, like, hammer it off my face?"

"A little hammer to your head would have fixed most of the issues we had with the recipe today."

Gladion makes the mistake of saying those words with Moon holding an extra oven tray on her hands, because the next thing he knows, she's swinging it and hitting him on the head with it, and his body falls and slides to the floor, limp and ungracious, utterly unconscious.

She holds the tray on mid-air, irises shrinking in shock as Gladion remains unconscious. However, Moon had made the mistaken assumption that he's out of it because she doesn't notice his hand reaching for a knife until he grabs it and flips to point it at her, holding his head with his free hand, elbow on the wooden floor of Nanu's kitchen.

"Did you just hit me with a tray? On my _head_?"

"Says the one pointing a knife at me!" Moon leaves the tray on the table but Gladion has no time to get up because Moon is hopping on the counter and grabbing a rolling pin, pointing it at him. "You wanna fight, eh? You didn't get your ass beaten up enough last week, you want more?"

"I have a great record of making a mess of my godfather's kitchen back in Ludwig Town. I wouldn't be so confident if I were you." He slowly gets up and scoots to the other end of the kitchen, his knife pointed at her in a silent threat.

"Excuse you, you can't beat me at this! I could throw the rolling pin at you and knock you out– for real, this time!" What's worse, she grins as she says this, the rolling pin all but dangerous compared to the sharp knife in his hand.

"I will catch it. If you pick a fight with me, you won't know what hit you," he reaches to his side to pick what he later reads is a bottle of sprinkles. Good enough, albeit not as menacing.

"You're just bluffing! You can't even hurt a fly with that butter knife of yours." Moon picks up an unused metal bowl from the counter and puts it on her head. Some flour lands on her dark hair, but she doesn't seem to notice it. "What are you gonna do with that, eh? Dab some jam over me? That's illegal, Gladion. Jam is a spawn of the devil."

The way she says something so nonsensical, a bowl over her head and still riles him up is absolutely ridiculous. Her confidence, as always, annoys the living hell out of him– but, just as expected, it also lits up a fire within him that screams for him to fight her and win this battle. His rival is throwing her cards to the table, and so shall he.

And when Moon reaches into a nearby packet of flour and holds out a handful of the devilish powder, he knows this isn't going to be fun and games. This will be unmeasured _war_.

His knife trembles in his hand as she points the rolling pin in his direction, flour in her other hand. "Don't you even dare–"

The ghost of a layer of flour floats in the air, dissolves halfway and hits him straight on the face, puffing around his hair and shoulders and covering his pale face with a thin mist of flour. Moon laughs hysterically, yet cowers slightly when Gladion's eyes darken and he takes a step towards her, unfortunate shadows on his eyes cast by the uneven bangs over his face.

Moon knowingly grabs the packet of flour and hides it behind her. "Whatcha' coming here for, Snowman? Do you wanna bake some cookies?"

And it's Moon's turn to be surprised as Gladion grabs the packet of powdered sugar from before and dumps the remaining amount on her hair, covering her in a curtain of fine sugar that dusts her hair and her face, her eyelashes and her clothes.

When she blinks the snowy layer off her eyelids with perplexed blinks, the ghost of a smirk appears in his features. It doesn't take long for the same sentiment to flourish in her dark eyes.

"I don't know, do _you_?"

* * *

Hau has been having a good day.

When he woke up, the birds were chirping and everyone was sleeping, for a change. He decided to walk around the streets. Maybe he would find something interesting to show to Moon and Gladion, something to occupy today's rest day with. Luckily, Hau had found Nanu doing grocery shopping, as he would be the one in charge of cooking part of the food for tonight's festival.

Hau helps him carry the bags to the mayor's home. "So, the festival's just like a tribute to the Saint Riftwalkers?"

"It's a tribute to Hapu. They consider her some sort of harvest goddess because she came here and helped some kids farm a few carrots. We just have a big fire, dance around, drink and eat. Nothing too serious."

"Woah, that sounds awesome!" Hau licks his lips at the thought of a party that good. "What sort of dances do you have around here, though? And what meals? I'd love to try whatever you do out!"

Nanu, hands shoved in his pockets, arches an eyebrow at him. "I don't know kid, you just won't shut up, won't you?"

Hau doesn't take offense from this and instead follows Nanu into the house with a grin. When the doors close, the first they hear is the too loud rattling of pottery and rapid thumps of feet all over the kitchen, at which Nanu drops his bags to inspect the source of trouble.

Curious, Hau follows him to the kitchen, only to get a fistful of sugar and flour to the face, all courtesy of Moon. Perched on the counter with her clothes full of flour, a bowl of metal on her hand and a whisk dripping with batter, Moon points the utensil at Gladion, "Look at what you did, Gladbag! Just because you couldn't take a bit of flour to the head, coward!"

Unmoving, Hau's eyes shift to Gladion as the aforementioned takes in Hau's appearance with wide eyes, more amused by the image than he'd ever admit. The man himself is full of white all over his body, two spatulas in his hands as the war stops altogether. Shame at being caught in a brawl this childish makes the spell and appeal from their little war disappear.

That is, until Hau wordlessly grabs the bottle of sprinkles that Gladion had discarded and dumps the contents on the unsuspecting blond. Loud hiccuped laughter comes from Moon's side as Hau grins playfully. "There, Gladbag! We all need some sweetness in–"

Another fistful of flour hits Hau right on the face, delivered by a grinning Moon as the vestiges of laughter shake off her body. "The sprinkles were mine! Prepare for a kicking from the queen herself, losers!"

"Nobody named you queen!" says Gladion, wiping flour and sprinkles from his eyes. Then, he turns to Hau while Moon readies another fistful of flour to throw their way. "We need to team up. I refuse to let her win this one."

"Aw, Gladbag, you two need to team up? That's a shame." She puts her whisk over her shoulder, tilting her head. "Get ready for a double beat-up, then! I'm not gonna hold back in the slightest!"

Hau takes his role just as seriously. "We're gonna destroy you! Your reign of evil food waste is over!"

And as the three engage in warfare again, Nanu stares from the threshold with a blank expression before he briefly regards the mess on the table, on the floor, on the walls – on the _ceiling_? – and mutters a small "I'm _not_ gonna clean this mess later."

Then, he grabs his jacket from a hanger and waves them goodbye, even when he knows they aren't listening. "You have fun, kids, I'll just go and grab a beer or two."

* * *

Very much against Gladion's desires, they ended up cleaning the whole kitchen.

They also ended up having to buy groceries to refill all the lost goods during the kitchen brawl, but that had been imposed by Gladion himself.

They had filled in the space before the festival with those tasks, plus washing their clothes and cleaning the kitchen and part of the living room. Hau and Moon helped Nanu cook the food for the festival while Gladion was left with the task of single-handedly setting up forks, plates, and glasses on the tables disposed near the bonfire area.

Nanu had also tasked him with buying the alcohol, because he 'wants the kids to have a taste of the real world', and he very likely wanted Gladion to come back to his house saying that he, indeed, hadn't looked mature enough to bypass the clerk's adulthood radars.

But he did.

And here he sits, watching everyone dance while he drinks little sips of his watered-down liquor at a safe distance from the fire and everyone. The festival has been raging for hours now, music from violins and accordions blaring from the right while the sea rocks at his left beyond the barriers of the fencing. It almost reminds him of Ludwig Town's celebrations, of the parties he attended when he was little where all he could do was clap along to the music while Faba looked for him everywhere, and later proceeded to drag him home.

But he's an adult now, and he's watching everyone dance while he sits alone on a tree log. The fire doesn't prevent him from watching the stars above him, his only company in a night as rowdy as this. Last time he saw Hau, he had been ambushed by a few townspeople to ask about his staff and his magic, and Moon had joined in the dancing as soon as she had arrived.

Poor people, about to get their feet stepped on by that woman.

Speaking of her, the cake had flown from the plate almost as soon as Moon presented it. Hau had ingested about half of it, a ridiculous suggestion from Nanu as he said that alcohol needs to be digested with something on one's stomach. At least he's right about that.

Except that Gladion is sure Hau must be pretty wasted right now because he can hear him _screaming_ at the top of his lungs about something he really can't care less about, but he's heard his own name dropped in the story along with Moon's so at least he should be depicted doing something heroic.

"And _man_ let me tell ya', Gladbag's got this pink cute blanket and it doesn't suit him, like, at _all_!"

He nearly chokes with his liquor at this point. He trusts Hau's tale to be covered by the tune of the band and the chatter of people dancing around the fire. The night is pleasantly warm, but it might also have something to do with the light effect of the liquor on him. He can't quite tell anymore.

His thoughts are muddled with the presence of the crowd a few feet away, an amount high enough to be plenty, but sparse and sufficient for him to see the huge bonfire between the people. The music is so loud he can feel it within him, beating to the rhythm of his own heart along with the drums blended with the band.

It's a good night. It's cheerful, nice. Moon must be dancing somewhere and Hau is still telling tale after tale, but nobody has come to disturb his peace yet. He's at ease, calm; like an owl watching the party from afar.

Gladion also has his dark shirt with stains of white all over it, and he's not happy about it at all.

"You sure are taking things easy tonight, Gladbag!"

A dancing shadow spirals out of the crowd and lands right beside him, heaving backward before she springs up again and looks at him with a drowsy smile on her face, but it's not the same type of drunk expression he's seen in Hau. She just looks genuinely happy.

"You should know that I'm not particularly interested in dancing around like a fish out of the water." A very accurate comparison, he thinks. Moon nods with a drawled hum of acceptance. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Just takin' a breather. It gets really hot when you get close to the fire, not to mention the gross baldies trying to get a piece of me." Moon rolls her shoulders, and he hears a faint cracking noise that makes her sigh."I think Hau is drunk, by the way. Nanu heard it's his birthday and he got crazy excited to show Hau the world of drinking."

Gladion turns his eyes to her. She doesn't have a glass with her, nor any signs of having drunk anything on her way to him. "I thought you would be drinking as well."

"Didn't wanna take any chances. Giving you a chance to ridicule me would be making things too easy, y'know– so I'm just dancing around." She snickers as a huff of displeasure escapes him. "Aren't ya' gonna dance? It's a lot of fun!"

"Me? Dance?"

Moon's eyes swing to him, eyelashes fluttering in genuine curiosity. "Why not? I've seen guys worse than you dance. You might be a bit clumsy on your feet, but you don't need to be ashamed of your true nature!"

He knits his eyebrows. "My… nature?"

"Your _ducky_ nature, of course!"

Gladion takes a thick gulp of his liquor. It has no effect on his soberness, sadly, and Moon's grin is still as stupidly beaming as usual. Too bright for a night as dark as this. "I still would rather not. It's… not my ambiance, and I don't know how to dance."

He confesses the last part with a pinch of shame. Sure, Faba has taught him how salon dancing works in a few lessons, but his knowledge about street dancing is non-existent, undoubtedly caused by his lack of experience in parties like this.

"Aw, c'mon Gladion! You gotta loosen up a bit! We're not gonna have an opportunity to have fun like this in a while, we gotta make the best of it!" Moon is abruptly standing from their shared log, stretching her legs as she ambles forward. The big fire lit before them casts her in a shadow, but he can see the perfect mischievousness in her wicked grin clear as day. "Besides, somebody's gotta learn some royal-like duties, don't you think? You gotta dance as your people do!"

The wink she flashes at him leaves him stunned, almost cold, because she's aware of something that he also knows– complicity in her smirk and her stance awaiting, he realizes that Moon's observing skills are never turned off after all, no matter how much time has passed.

He wonders how long she's been watching him to make the same suspicious connections he's been creating as they went, if she's been collecting the crumbs just as he's been finding them.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He asks with a gravelly voice as she steps closer.

Moon leans forward to a distance maybe too inadequate for him, but clearly not for her. He can count each of her eyelashes from this distance, and as his eyes seek a response in hers, he finds golden specks scattered across her irises– maybe a reflection of the fire that surely is showing up in his eyes.

"Nothing you can know, it seems! Good to know you are still as clueless as ever!" And like that, she's off his view, hands behind her back, walking back towards where the party is still roaring. His drink has gone lukewarm, he realizes. "Just so y'know, Hau is running a bet with Nanu that you can't dance– you should prove him wrong before he gets that sweet coin dig!"

And Moon offers her hand for him to take, so he can follow her to the bonfire, to the crowd, to where she says fun is. She's beaming, her eyebrows wagging in suggestion and he curses because she's hard to deny with claims like that. "Goddammit."

Before he can reach out and take hold of her hand to stand up, Moon twists her hand and grabs his wrist, yanking him towards the bonfire with long strides. His feet feel wobbly at best, and the ground seems to be made of mush quivering under his feet, but he still feels warm and balanced with Moon carrying him around like this.

She lets him go when they are well in the bonfire crowd. All she does is shift from foot to foot, her head bobbing to the rhythm of the music, and he decides to do the same. "When the drum beats, you gotta–" The drums rattle across the bonfire. Everyone claps twice. "Like _that_. It's about moving."

"Moving? No choreography, no planning?"

"Gladion, not everything in life is about planning," she says. It sounds much more sincere without the nickname attached, or it might be that his drink is finally making him lose his inhibitions that he's willing to comply. "Just let your body decide. You know how you move by instinct in a battle, how you simply just _move_? It's the same instinct. Just let your body move, and think later!"

Her voice is drowned out by the beat of the drums and the music around him. His senses are becoming increasingly numb the longer he stays buried in the crowd, but it's not as unpleasant as he had expected it to be– in fact, it's quite enjoyable, and when the drum beats, Moon watches him as he claps his hands, and continues moving.

There is no coherence or explanation to his moves, but there is none for the people around him either– and for once, it feels like he fits. It feels like _everything_ fits, with everyone canned into a space this warm and loud, laughing, cheering as the fire cracks to his right and Moon dances just as crazily as him at arm's reach.

Moon laughs as he almost trips, but they continue dancing. It becomes easier. He finds a balance in his feet, a sense of rhythm, a connection to the music as he predicts the beats, the dancing, everything becoming cohesive and his body and soul become one.

This is the first time Gladion can say he's having fun, letting his limbs run loose and just _exist_.

And suddenly, from somewhere at the back of the party, loud gasps and laughter of anticipation bloom across the bonfire.

When Moon and Gladion turn their heads, they watch Hau tumble and fall off a table and face-first into a puddle of dirt and pie crumbs, and when he lifts his face, he's a heap of mud caked on his face and body, yelping in pain.

Something bubbles in his stomach– call it the alcohol, call it the spirit of the party, but it bubbles and coils and writhes until Gladion begins to laugh.

It's carefree, unhinged and it's more a series of gasps for air than an actual melodic laugh, but Gladion couldn't care less. The image of a crumbled Hau in mud and dirt remains in his head, pushing more laughter out of him like it will never stop. He's sure there are tears pooling at his eyes, and Moon is laughing as well, but he can't say for sure. In his state of joy and boundless moving, he doesn't notice that it has been _years_ since he's laughed like this– since he's felt this free.

This _human_ , too.

He grabs his stomach and staggers to dance, spinning around Moon as she spins too, much like planets circle around the sun and spin. It's chaotic, it's free, and Gladion finds himself loving it.

Judging by Moon's awed expression at the pure noise of his laughter, it looks like she's loving it as well.

If there is one person in this realm that can make him dance and have fun while at it, then that can only be Moon.

Maybe she had been right, after all. Maybe, just maybe, they _are_ good friends– rivals, of course, but also very good friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> COOKING AND RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPMENT WHAT ELSE CAN WE ASK FOR
> 
> So like the story behind this chapter is INSANELY random. While writing the second chapter of this arc I kinda meshed the hypothetical chapter 3 and 2 together? So I had to come up with an extra chapter and WOOSH this happened. The recipe lona bakes is how we do it here in Spain and the closest I could find is this one https://www.elmundoeats.com/spanish-almond-cake/
> 
> But don't forget to toast the ground almonds or else 
> 
> BUT YES I LOVE THIS CHAPTER IT'S SO WHOLESOME THEY HAVE A FIGHT IN THE KITCHEN NANU IS SO DONE THEY'RE ALL GREAT FRIENDS GLADION HAS ACKNOWLEDGED MOON'S IMPORTANCE WHILE THEY DANCE AND HE LAUGHS AND AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
> 
> Next chapter is gonna be chaotic and rowdy prepare thy asses


	12. Pirate For A Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On top of a stolen ship, Gladion learns the meaning of companionship.
> 
> This also nearly results in death.

"Y'know, when the old man told us to watch it, I don't think he meant watching a group of sailors as they're about to set sail."

The three of them are currently peering from a stack of big boxes stationed on a harbor of the Soakedge Strait. There is only one ship docked there, but the guys in charge of it are chatting and not planning to move anytime soon, much to Hau and Moon's chagrin.

Gladion just doesn't understand what the plan is here. Yes, they have to cross the Soakedge Strait to arrive at the Kandrus Empire. Yes, they will have to be sneaky, because Moon might find thrill in facing guards after so much time holding back, but Hau and Gladion wouldn't appreciate the risk of being chased. Yes, they are headed to Bleakdross, to the Orchard of Souls.

Stealing a ship, however, is _not_ in their plans.

Said ship is grand and majestic in its size and ornaments. The railings are made of gold or copper, he isn't sure, but the material glints under the sinking sun. The water rocks it gently, makes the masts groan as they shift and adapt to the warm temperatures in the air. The sails are dirty with what Gladion assumes is age, but everything looks new and polished. The owners of this vessel have been taking good care of it.

Moon, hands slanted on a side of the box while the men look from the top, shakes her head. "Nanu told us that we could take a ship or two as long as he didn't see it! Technically speaking, it's legal."

Gladion stares at her from above. "You just made that up. All of it."

"It fits our purposes. He said to use all means possible. You just don't know how to read between the lines." Moon tucks herself away from view and crouches again, folding her arms as she thinks about what strategy to follow. "Those guys aren't gonna move anytime soon. Are we just gonna stay here and wait?"

Hau also ducks away from view, crouching right by Moon. "What's the plan, though?"

Expression shrunk into focus, Moon explains her idea. "My plan is to sneak into the ship and see where they take us. If they don't take us where we wanna, then we'll take over."

And Moon's idea of _taking over_ always involves some sort of violence or unneeded trouble, so Gladion is quickly against that. "Absolutely not. We will probably be sailing for a pair of days, only one at best, and we will _not_ do it on board of a stolen ship."

"Dude, we can always just… ask? I doubt they know we're wanted by the Kandrus Empire, and if they aren't going there… maybe they'll be nice enough and take us anyway?" offers Hau, saying it very slowly because even _he_ knows that's a weak idea. There is nobody in this world nice enough to, you know, drift about 50 kilometers in the opposite direction just to drop a bunch of warriors.

Moon hadn't even bothered picking him up and they were on their way to the same spot. Being hopeful, even the smallest bit, got him into a coma. People might be nice, but not _that_ nice. Hau's naïvety is charming, sometimes.

The assassin is quick to remind him of that fact. "Hau, that's a ridiculous idea. I don't think those guys got those beefy arms with hugs precisely. I got the feeling they might bust our guts out if we even dare ask them anything."

She has a point. They look rather menacing, indeed. Most sailors both in the Kandrus and Aedus Empires hold notoriety for holding knives bigger than those of a butcher's. They have been hardened by the hardships of the sea life, and maybe the sailors in this shore are laughing their day away, but the tides can change very quickly if somebody who doesn't belong to their crew steps into their conversation uninvited.

Knowing this, Gladion nods. "That's a very gross way to put it, but it's still true regardless."

"What're we gonna do, then? Just wait? I ain't against asking 'em, but I… sure as hell don't wanna get chopped into pieces."

The blond watches Moon offer her idea again, only for them to start bickering like two cats in a puddle. Gladion watches the scene outside their bubble with intent. The two sailors are alone in the harbor, the sun is setting and if anybody was murderer, there would be no witnesses to denounce their deeds. He's not a fan of Moon's ideas, but Hau's naïvety doesn't come across as very intelligent, either.

"Look," begins Gladion, his hand combing through his uneven bangs in stress, "I will go talk to them. Being polite should not offend them– if they are having a good day, that is. It's still worth a shot and much less morally bankrupt than killing them for their vessel."

Moon pouts her lips in disagreement. "Are you calling me morally bankrupt?"

"I never mentioned your name. Take it as you will," he says calmly, satisfied with Moon pulling a face as annoyed as that. "In any case, I will go ahead and ask them where they are off to."

Getting to his feet, Hau nods hastily. "Okay, let's just not chop anyone's head while we're at it, 'kay? I don't wanna have the ghosts of those dudes chasing me when I go to bed and…" he justifies as he directs his eyes to Moon, who is still crouching and tracing circles on the pavement of the harbor. "It ain't nice to go killing innocent guys like that. They haven't done anythin' to us."

Crossing her arms, she gets up as well, sighing heavily. "You're no fun. Where's the excitement in asking nicely?"

"There might be no fun, but it for sure is safer." Before Moon can say anything in response, Gladion dismisses her with his hand. "I will be as nice as I can. You two wait here, just in case any of them recognizes Moon."

She should be appalled by this, but she just nods. Gladion and Hau might be criminals by extension, but Gladion doubts they are in the same wanted status as Moon. Hau does so as well. "Good luck, dude. Keep your edge in check."

Gladion decides to say nothing about this and parts from their not-so-hidden hiding spot. unlike before, his resilience against comments like those is much stronger and he's learned that saying anything against them is useless, not to mention that they never hurt him– they just annoy the shit out of him.

With gritted teeth and releasing one long puff of air, Gladion gets close to the sailors. The three men halt their conversation and watch him approach them. The swordsman is dimly aware of how heavy his sword feels on his hip, and how small he is compared to these strongholds of muscle and rough features.

"Good morning. Sorry to bother you, but I have seen you have a ship with you."

One of the guys saunters close to him. His crimson mustache is pinched between two of his thick fingers, stance, and complexion resembling that of a fantasy book. "That's our ship, bud. The _Canopella_ , that's her name."

He says it with a pleasant smile and Gladion can't help but wonder why, seeing this man's nice demeanor, the other two are staring _so_ hard at him. He can barely see their eyes under the thickness of their eyebrows, so he chooses not to look at them and focus on the nice guy instead.

"That's a great name, sir," he adds politely, earning a nod from the other. "I was wondering, though, where are you headed to?"

"Good question!" he exclaims as he turns to his mates, who shift their attention momentarily to focus on their friend. "Where' we goin'? Did ya' make up yer' damn mind already?"

"We aren't goin' anywhere, boy." The way he says _boy_ radiates superiority. It almost feels like they are calling him a baby. "We're just pals without a place to go. We've seen a small island in the middle of the Soakedge Ocean, so we might go there."

 _Damn it_. That's the exact opposite of where they are going. The Bleakdross Incursion lies to the east, and the Soakedge Ocean is far to the west. Well, there go their plans, he supposes, and he sighs in defeat with a shake of his head. Seeing his distress, the crimson-haired man tilts his head in askance. "What's wrong, boy?"

"Sorry, it's nothing. My friends and I were looking for a ride to the Kandrus Dominion, but I guess that's not viable, is it?"

The man is about to speak again, but he's interrupted by another guy placing his arm on his shoulder. He hasn't spoken again, yet he's been glaring at Gladion from the first second he laid eyes on him, causing a moment of hesitation to occur as he leans in and whispers something to the other. He's seen that sort of glare before– one of suspicion, as if he didn't belong there.

Like they know him from somewhere. There is a dangerous glint in their eyes that has not stopped looking at him. He's seen that kind of glare many times before, not murderous but holding a certain resent inside.

The nice guy has also turned harsher in his eyes, looking at him with sudden severity. "I dunno', boy, but…" Gladion swallows. Hard. "What's yer' name, kid?"

And that is the exact moment wherein he knows he's been found out, busted, and most importantly, recognized– because a face like his, so full of bright colors and wanted by the whole empire, is not that hard to distinguish.

Gladion, however, has no time to panic before he hears two familiar noises – and it only dawns on him now that she _remembers_ their signal – and a dagger brushes past his arm and lands on the stomach of the crimson-haired guy, and in another second, Moon has knocked the other two out with two swift kicks, Hau running behind her in a clear panic while Gladion is still trying to wrap his mind about what the _fuck_ had just happened.

"We had an agreement!" insists Hau as he arrives at the scene, right while Moon is checking on the two unconscious guys before a very stunned Gladion. "What're you doin'!?"

"I'm saving our asses, that's what I'm doing! I saw one of the dudes taking out a butcher knife!"

Oh, so _that_ 's why she had come to the rescue. He shouldn't be surprised by her reflexes, but he is. Moon probably had some desire to cause some trouble, too, so that might have added to the eventual… violent result. He can feel the blood from the squirming guy reaching his boots, and Moon is stepping right over the puddles with terrifying nonchalance while Hau trembles behind him and all but addresses the gruesome situation before them, weirdly tense.

Moon finally looks up from the bodies she had just kicked to the ground and looks to her right, rubbing her hands and biting her lip as she begins to jog towards the dock. "Hurry, let's get to the ship! Someone might come and we don't wanna be chopped into teensy pieces, too!"

"I swear to Arceus, you will get us killed one day!" Gladion hisses back as he rushes after her, Hau following close behind, completely silent. The latter gets distracted at the entrance, looking at the bleeding man on the shore before Gladion notices his absence and asks about it. "Is everything alright?"

"Ah, yeah! Just…" Hau shakes his head, then rushes into the ship, closing the door behind him, and the conversation ends there.

The insides of the ship are rather clean, albeit a bit too dusty for Gladion's taste. Moon has instinctively rushed up another set of stairs without even looking at her surroundings, leading him to believe she knows what to do now. The adrenaline from earlier's encounter with death only clears out when they burst into the sunlight and hop onto the deck of the ship, with Moon rushing to the helm.

"'Kay, you two, imma' drive this baby to the Kandrus Empire and you're not gonna complain or I'll throw you overboard, weapons very much included." But the regular grin on her face betrays inhumane enthusiasm as she caresses the handles of the helm. "This is gonna be heaps of fun! But we need to get outta here, _pronto_!"

Something thumps behind them, and when they turn their heads they find Hau to be looking overboard, half of his body sticking out of the railing surrounding the deck. "All seems to be okay, I'm just checking to see if anybody's followin' us."

Moon shakes the issue off with unprecedented ease. "We got our backs covered. I doubt they'll remember a thing when they wake up. The extra nap will be good for 'em, they totally could use a beauty sleep or two!"

"You did _not_ need to stab the guy, though," Gladion complains, more angered at his own lack of reflexes back there than at her abundance thereof. "Hau was right; we _did_ agree to not harm anyone more than necessary." That last statement garners him a nod from the sorcerer, who is uncharacteristically upset by this outcome.

Moon shrugs nonchalantly. "If he didn't end up a little bit bruised, you would've been the one all chopped into tiny pieces. You were in the middle, so I reacted. It's the survival of the strongest."

"It's the survival of the _fittest_ , and I could have done well enough on my own."

"Sorry, I can't hear you. My pirate spirit is starting to ring and I just hear insubordination going on. Only address me as your captain or I'll fire the canons."

Gladion growls and she chuckles, but then she's fidgeting with the helm and pressing buttons, stones and doing things that he can't understand, but he suddenly hears something rumble under them, making the ship vibrate.

He thinks for a second that Moon has done something wrong– that is, until the wind begins to blow, the sails above them puff in compliance with Moon's piloting and the ship starts to move.

"The ship is driven with chi. I've driven a few before, so you two are safe for now! We should navigate slowly, just in case some other ship notices we're in a haste. Wouldn't want them to suspect we're out in a mission, y'know."

"... How… long?"

Hau is still slumped over the deck's railing, body fully sagging and voice wobbly and low. Gladion is sure he can hear panting coming from him, and that's when he remembers that Hau had mentioned that he never does well with ships, which is amazing, great and very much conventional for what would be a day-long trip if not two days of traveling.

 _Goddammit_.

Luckily, Moon walks closer with empathy on the eyes but jokes on the lips. "Aw, not feeling well? That's okay! You can go take a nap some– wait, there might be treasures and stuff down there!" Her hand rubs soothing circles on Hau's back as she whips her head towards Gladion, who is leaning against a mast. "Do you think those dudes were pirates?"

"They were three people. I doubt they got anything close to the outrageous chest of gold you're imagining, that's for sure."

"Still! It's worth taking a shot!" Moon nudges Hau's shoulder with her hand until he weakly looks up, clearly dizzy. "'Kay, I'll take you to a room, or something. I bet they got something like a bed downstairs, so it'll be okay!"

Moon swings one of Hau's arms around her shoulders. "Dude… I'm gonna fall..."

And she laughs it off. Loudly. "You'll be fine! Don't be a baby!" She's taking him down the stairs, slowly, much gentler than Gladion would have anticipated. "Gladbag, watch over the controls for a sec. Make sure the helm doesn't steer too much."

He pretends to know what she's talking about and nods as they disappear under the deck. Faba's faulty teaching never included anything versed on the sea, probably because Ludwig Town lies far from the sea and Faba _always_ disliked the ocean.

Watching where he is now, the ocean open before him and the land disappearing behind him, it's painfully ironic he's steering a helm he doesn't know how to drive, dimly concerned with people he never thought he'd meet, not knowing what direction to take.

If he didn't have such a strong grasp on their plans, he would think this is ironic.

But it isn't. It's just another experience.

Hau's throwing up in the background blends in with the waves of the ocean and the cooing of the seagulls.

He's moving forward. And that's all that matters.

And he could get used to it.

* * *

There are certain perks to living on a ship, Moon decides. The wind always beats in the same direction, the murmur of the sea as it rocks the world never leaves, the stars always seem to shine and they are all around her, sitting on top of a mast, upside down as all blood gorging in her legs falls to her head and the sea is the ceiling, the stars are the field, but it still looks beautiful all the same.

She's always free in the world. Her and nature are one and the same, yet the sea grants her an amplitude that only furthers her curiosity. What could there be under the waters? How many sunken ships, reefs and abysses are there under this very same ship, waiting to be touched and discovered? Moon doesn't know, but she also wishes she could one day get to see all that lies under the surface.

Moon also wishes the ship wouldn't creak so much, but upon further inspection, she discovers the noise to come from a familiar shadow ambling across the deck, illuminated by the crescent moon all too close to them.

"Good evening! Didn't expect you to be awake at this hour!"

"Wah!" Hau jumps about half a meter back, then clutches his chest with a pant of surprise.

Hau is scared shitless by Moon's voice, and when he looks up to pinpoint an intruder, he sees Moon hanging from a mast, grinning, a telescope in her hands that she had probably stolen from one of the cabins on the ship. Why? He's not very sure. What could she be seeing in the night sky? Probably many more things than Hau himself would ever guess.

"Arceus on a stick, Moon, ya' gave me a big scare!"

Giggling to herself, Moon effortlessly pushes herself up, dangles from the mast and flops down to the wood. The ground looks so time-bitten it almost looks frail. "What are you doing awake at this hour? You're one hell of a heavy sleeper."

She walks to him steadily. They're on the backside of the ship, where there is only a square-shaped railing and the trace of the boat on the water to be seen. Hau is leaning over the railing like it's a lifesaver.

"Mentioned it before, somewhere, but I ain't very good with boats and anything that moves on water. Literally, like, I love fishin' but I can't do that stuff if I'm moving. I'll just puke my breakfast and more out and pass out, probably."

"Well, you _did_ do that earlier," she comments, causing Hau to fumble with the hem of his shirt, but then Moon is grinning and waving her telescope. "And that's okay! I guess it must be sorta rough on you, so it's fine."

"What are ya' doing awake, though? It's hella late for anybody to be outside– uh, except for me, I guess."

"Y'know I don't fall asleep that easy. I'm still kinda restless, so I'm fine staying up for a while longer." Hau nods. "Since you were knocked out on your bed, I told Gladbag I'd keep watch just in case some nasty pirate wants to attack and ransack our cute little ship. That'd be a crazy, _crazy_ thing, right?"

She looks more thrilled than concerned.

"Pirates attacking us?" Hau asks, eyebrows pinched in confusion. "I guess that'd be kinda bad, dude. We wouldn't see a darn thing in all this dark."

"No, that's not it! They'll have _so_ much stuff we could steal from them! Well, that _I_ could steal from them since you two would be counting sheep while I go on a sick adventure." Hau's expression turns perplexed, gulping at her eagerness. "I'd love to fire the cannons and stuff. It'd be the bomb!"

"You think you could take on a ship? On your own? Ain't that a bit ambitious?"

"Like I've said many times before, if you're not aiming for the top, what's the point?" She claims this with a proud smile, positive as ever. "And my top is a bunch of poor pirates with lots of gold. And maybe some clothes. I heard pirates wear these super fancy cloaks and hats and _dude_ , I'd love to get one." Moon hops on the ship's ledge and swings her legs over the railing, looking out with her telescope. "Have you ever gone to a museum?"

"I guess a few? The Jaguar Farmlands had this super cool exposition with ancient ruins, but I dunno' if that counts as a museum."

"Yeah, it counts. The thing is, I went to one big, _huge_ museum once– I don't remember where, but the exposition was super well-done and they had these mannequins dressed in red, black and golden jackets. Gladbag would have loved it." At the mention of his name, Moon turns to Hau again. "Wait, do you think I could convince Gladion to ransack a pirate ship if I tell him pirates wear goth clothes like him? He could totally use some new rags."

"Man, that'd be awesome. We'd steal from criminals and we could give some to the poor. That'd be dope!" he grins, clearly contemplating and loving the idea – even though Moon would definitely suggest them keeping the treasure – but then, it turns into a grimace. "I doubt he'd wanna take the risk, though. He's too cautious to go around pillaging some dudes just because of clothing."

"You're right. Fashion isn't his priority." A short pause follows her dry statement. "And it shows."

Hau laughs heartily at that, and Moon chuckles along as well. After that, it's followed by a small moment of peace, where the breeze toys with Moon's locks and Hau's loose dreadlocks. She looks into her telescope again, deeming Hau to be taking it easy because he's nauseous, when he's thinking about what to say next.

Surprisingly, Moon beats him to the punch. "Also," she lowers the telescope briefly, "sorry. About earlier."

"What do you– _oh_ , that," Hau gulps, rubbing the back of his neck as a small smile, sincere and conflicted, curls his lips. "It's fine. I'm glad you jumped to attack those dudes when you saw they were gonna take Gladion. That was so cool of you!"

"Eh? That's not all of it! They were also in our way!" Hau wants to think she's kidding, but Moon is always too genuine in the wrong occasions – like this one – to be joking. "They were taking too long to get to the chase. Gotta say that them taking out the weapons was super rude, too! Absolutely outrageous."

Hau lets out a nervous chuckle. "I guess the intention's all that matters, eh?"

"Their intention to rob me of a good treasure and a rather useful companion does matter, yeah," Moon comments off-handedly.

"That… wasn't what I meant, but I guess that's okay too!" Hau's expression softens, then turns distant as his eyes get lost in the waves under them. Catching his silence, Moon turns to him, blinking in question. "I wouldn't have stepped out. I'd have probably tripped on my way to him or something."

Moon's eyebrows sink, and then she looks through the telescope again. "Don't be that hard on yourself, that's bullshit."

"How can you say that, though? I already told you two that I'm… kinda hard to push into the battlefield– no, I'm just _scared_ of pushing _myself_ in, y'know?" Moon lowers her telescope again, and this time puts it on her thigh as she listens intently. "I don't have that sorta cool, badass instinct to just jump into the battle like you two do. I just get cold feet and stuff."

"I wouldn't say Gladion has that sort of initiative, though. He kinda waits around and bids his time. Y'know, like snakes do? He needs a bit of a snap to spring into the battle. He isn't that instinctive, either."

"You get my point, though," Hau insists, pressing his cheek against his palm, elbow on the railing. "It's a bummer."

Moon blinks at him twice, then another time, and twists her lips into a pensive expression. Her thoughts are solved with a guttural hum and her head craning in his direction. "Okay, but here's the thing, why are you so scared?" Hau is silent for two seconds, hinting at a lack of response for that. "I think you mentioned you didn't wanna get hurt, right? Is that all?"

"I don't know. It's just that I don't have that impulse to fight. If I see danger, I just wanna look for help. I don't know how you guys do it. It's frustrating."

"Regretfully quoting Gladion here, but I don't think looking for help is that bad. I guess that's a reasonable option if you don't think you can do it. It's better to play safe than let pride get the best of ya'," Moon explains, which surprises Hau greatly. While he hadn't thought of Moon as somebody that deep, he had never expected her to be this elaborate on her thoughts, either. "Is it because you think you're not enough?"

"I… I already said it all that night, didn't I? I couldn't even save myself, who am I supposed to save?"

"Whoever that matters to you."

Hau, taken aback by such a heartfelt response, looks up to see Moon looking out her telescope, expression oddly serious.

"Everyone has a reason to enter a battle. Some people do it because they wanna cause trouble, others have ulterior motives to fight, and others want to protect those that they care about. It's all a matter of perspective, not objective cowardry. You just gotta find out _why_ exactly you're fighting. Everyone has something to fight for." A chuckle. A giddy grin from her. "Besides, what you did with the watchtower was insane– because I guess it was you, right? I doubt anyone else would've pulled it off."

Hau isn't sure what he should speak about first. Moon is right. Thinking back, Hau has never had anything to fight for other than himself, and that had taken him down a loop of frustration and utter anger with himself. Looking back at his mistakes and whatever could have happened that day that caused his amnesia won't help him. He has to move on, swallow his faults and work on getting better.

Gulping, Hau lets out a shaky breath. "You and Gladion almost died, though."

Another grin from her, looking away from her telescope. She kicks her feet gently. "It was still great! Gladbag survived, and I for sure did, too! If anything, you basically _won_ the brawl– and I don't wanna sound like a crybaby, but those dudes were kinda tough," she confesses, smiling more gently. "I guess what I'm trying to say is thank you. You were brave."

"D'you really think that?"

"Mhm. You also broke yourself outta prison. That wasn't easy, was it?"

Hau chuckles. "Dude, but I bet you broke yourself out too, right?" Distracted, Moon nods. "How do you do that stuff, anyway?"

He sees her arching an eyebrow, even though she's turned from him. "What do ya' mean?"

"Like, you just _jump_ into battle. You're the total opposite of me, which is weird 'cause I always thought Gladbag was that person, but it also kinda is you, I guess." Without much to say, Moon slowly nods, trying to see where he's going with this. "What I'm tryin' to say is, did ya' train for that? Did you just go on so many missions that you just ain't scared anymore?"

A small laugh vibrates within her chest, deep and subtle. It's so uncharacteristic of her to hold something like that in, but she's still smiling. She's still Moon.

"I've been traveling for a very long time– since I was a kid," she explains, voice airy yet soft. There is an element of gentleness in her words that catches Hau off-guard. "I'm used to it. It's just like second nature. Y'know, fight or flight situations, that sorta stuff."

"Damn, but for that long? When I first saw you, I thought you and Gladbag were a thing and were just takin' a hike around Everspring Woods."

"Don't make me laugh. I should've thrown him into the closest river a long time ago."

Hau laughs again. It spills from his lips naturally, his body shaking accordingly and his shoulders trembling. It doesn't look like he's all that sick anymore, the pale moonlight making his skin bluer and dewy but creating a sparkle in his eyes and a constellation in his smile, him as a whole seeming brighter but not any paler.

"Man, Gladion might be a grumpy old man, but he's also cool as hell," he breathes out, his tone just as respectful and admiring as it had been for her. The amount of fondness he holds for them nearly moves her heart. "No wonder I thought you two were together."

It takes her a beat too long to answer, but when she does, it's in a colorful chuckle filled with warmth. "I guess he's kinda awesome, not gonna lie." But then, her usual snickering persona comes up again as something occurs to her. "But if we cross paths with one of those evil ships, imma' keep all the money! Well, we can share, but we can't tell him!"

"Dude, why?"

"Because he wouldn't let us go into that ship," she says, words ending with a murmur, because it might be that he doesn't want any unnecessary danger, he maybe doesn't want anybody to get hurt. _Maybe_ , he cares. "He's a dumbass..."

Unbeknownst to them as their excited conversation continues, a shadow is leaning against one of the masts of the ship, arms crossed against his chest as he listens intently, focusing on each and every word they say with uncanny patience. The breeze plays with his chopped bangs, fans on his face and pulls him into calm serenity.

He could go to them and chastise for them their well-intended jokes, that, seeing the atmosphere, don't seem all that bad.

But, instead, he goes to bed, smiling to himself.

* * *

"Y'know, guys, we should rename the ship."

Gladion rolls his eyes, sitting on top of a box and his back against the railing of the side of the ship. "That's too much nonsense too early in the morning."

"No, listen!" she rushes to explain. "We got this ship! It's basically ours! I doubt they'll ever get it back– well, unless they _swim_ across the Soakedge Strait and find wherever we land– and that's unlikely, impossible, even!"

"But, dude, the owners of this ship took good care of it. It'd be kinda shitty to just… wipe out their name and slap on a new one," replies Hau, visibly uncomfortable with the idea. "Also, Moon?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you please get down from up there? We can't hear you at all!"

Moon, who had been sitting on top of a mast again – but even higher than last night, as if to prove her abilities – hums and drops from branch to branch, then falls gracefully before them. Her body never suffers any kickbacks from the fall, she just flexes back into shape like goo. It further proves Gladion's theory that she might be a demon.

She folds her arms and turns to Hau, who is casually sitting cross-legged on the wooden floor. "As I was saying," Moon continues, pacing around, "the ship is basically ours! And, thinking about it, we _also_ deserve it!"

"Us? Deserving a boat?" Gladion's skepticism shows through, and Moon isn't happy about that. "We haven't done that much. Not enough to deserve a ship, at least."

"But we _have_!" she insists, thumping her feet as she stomps all over the deck, nearly as if she had a snake in her socks. "We have, _ahem_ , listing from most to least important–"

When Gladion groans and pinches his nose, Hau laughs. "Not this again."

"We have defeated a big evil part of the Kandrus Dominion! We destroyed their base!"

"I mean, yeah, we did, but we also kinda made that Dominion our enemy at the same time, 'cause they're allies and all that stuff," adds Hau, skirting around the subject. "Dude, politics suck."

"'Kay, _fine_ , it wasn't all that perfect! But we still helped out the townsfolk! I bet they'll get robbed much less!"

Gladion arches an eyebrow as he presses his back harder against the railing. "Still, that's far from enough to make us deserving of a ship this big. Maybe a boat would be fair, but not something as grand as this."

"Hm…" Trying to come up with more options, her expression tenses up before breaking into another grin. "Right! We also retrieved those goods from that pretty cave in Gemstone Village!"

"... Which we never gave back to their owners."

"We needed the money!"

"That was still kind of scummy of us to do. I blame our need for money for that one."

Hau squints his eyes in Gladion's direction. "Dude, were you _that_ broke?"

Forlorn and not fond of those times, he nods with a sigh. His financial situation hadn't changed much since their abrupt departure from the Kandrus Empire, but Ilima had given him a rather generous amount of coins for his aid during the raid in the Lunaria Plains. He's still ashamed to admit that won't last very long, though.

"Still! We have done many good things for the community. We're like heroes! We're _total_ heroes!" Moon doesn't pay attention to Gladion's blank expression, but focuses on Hau's laughter as she bounces to the shrouds of the ship, hanging from the nets from one hand. "We have saved many people from death. We're gonna be legends, one day!"

"Woah! That'd be _huge_!" exclaims Hau with just the same amount of energy. "Imagine future books with our names written on the cover in all those pretty fancy letters!" He clears his throat, then speaks with a focused and elegant voice. " _How the Company of Evil Was Defeated: The Three Heroes of The Continent_."

"That's the _best_ title ever!" No, it isn't. "We could have Gladbag look over it for us. He looks like a pretty good writer, don't you think?"

"My writing skills are passable. My instructor was… lacking, to say the least," he admits. Faba had been too insistent on him reading books too high-level for him. "If we continue with a lifestyle as dangerous as this one, though, we won't make it to chapter three of the book alive."

"Not gonna lie, he's got a point," agrees Hau, directing a troubled gaze at Moon, who looks utterly betrayed. "We should keep it low and humble when we get to the Kandrus Empire. We're kinda _really wanted criminals there_ –"

Gladion shrugs. "Technically, we're just accomplices to a certain uncontrollable money monster."

Hau continues despite Moon's clear annoyance towards the subject. "– and we don't wanna have guards chasing after us when we're looking for somethin' as precious as that talisman. Dude, imagine they actually know about it and they're guarding it! We ain't gonna get even a look at it!"

"Oh, you guys are just worrywarts!" Moon insists, waving a hand to dismiss the comment. "What could possibly go wrong?"

That's the exact moment when Gladion has the amazing idea of looking over his shoulder, lazily thinking that fate can't be that cruel, that they must be about an hour away from land, that everything is too silent until it suddenly _isn't_ because his heart begins to beat at an unsteady throbbing cadence.

A Blackring ship.

A Blackring ship heading towards them from behind. A ship much, much bigger than theirs.

"Oh, _fuck_."

Moon chuckles. "Sorry, didn't mean to offend your…"

Whatever she had been about to say is lost as Moon follows his gaze and is met with the fearsome sight of the purple ship from the Blackring, advancing a couple of knots faster than them and headed in their direction. It's cast in the shadows of the morning sunlight, everything so contrasted and so _dark_ that even Moon herself is terrified.

So much so, that she's marching towards the helm while Hau yells and begins to squirm about, Gladion getting up from his post to examine the situation.

" _No, no, no, fuck this, not gonna deal with that,_ " Moon presses a button, then leans towards the wheel as she takes a firm hold of it" _not today, absolutely not–_ "

"Dude, _dude_! They're gonna get us, they're gonna get us!" announces Hau, absolute panic and chaos tensing the air around them into a thick bubble about to burst. "If they catch us, we're dead meat! We're gonna be chopped into tiny pieces! This ain't right!"

And then, when Gladion is about to step close to Hau and tell him they can deal with it, negotiate a truce, anything to save themselves from chaos, something vibrates within the ship vibrates so violently the two buckle and fall to the floor while Moon holds to the helm throughout the vibrations.

"You two better buckle up! Imma' make this baby _sail_!"

Her emphasis in that word, the tilt, and boldness in her words; it all screams encouragement, but also danger. "What's that supposed to–"

The ship _zooms_. It goes from zero to a hundred in a matter of seconds, the change so harsh and abrupt he's surprised the ship hasn't broken into pieces. The world becomes a blur as they go along the strait at a breakneck pace, making standing up almost unbearable. Hau is a collapsed mess on the floor; Gladion can barely hear anything other than the waves splashing outside the ship.

"Didn't we agree we'd go _slow_!?" He says, and looking back, he comes across the shocking image of the Blackring _chasing_ after them, gaining proximity. "They're on our heels!"

"I think you answered your own question!" she yells back, gripping the helm as she takes a look as well, and grows so visibly terrified of it that Gladion nearly laughs, except they're about to die either because of a ship crash or bandits chopping their heads off and none of those outcomes please him.

They need to go even faster. "Do something! We can't let them catch us!"

"Do you think I don't know that, _genius_!?"

In her state of anxiety and utter mental chaos, her hold on the helm is unstable, and she barely has time to react before they nearly hit a sticking out rock, then dodge it. The momentum from the abrupt dodge sends the ship into a harsh turn, causing Hau's sprawled body to glide sideways.

Gladion swears she's going to make the boat fall to its side and sink and he's _never_ heard of anything like that ever happening; leave it to her to drive him insane and do exactly the unthinkable. "You don't even know how to drive this thing!"

"Well, do _you_!? I don't see you doing a damn thing!"

The swordsman curses and takes a side of the helm, awkwardly sticking his arms between hers to try and take control. "You will make us crash! Hau will fall off the deck at this rate!"

"That's because we're going this fast and I don't know how to pilot it like this!"

And as she says this, she maneuvers through another full swerve that sends Gladion skidding to the railing, almost falling off the ship and he _swears_ he felt the ship tilt and nearly fall for one second.

That's all he needs to try to take over, just as she's making another turn to avoid the pieces of a sunken ship – very fortunate prophecy of what's probably about to happen – and save it from skidding too much to the sides.

He's certain the guys in the Blackring ship have to be having a seizure seeing so much useless movement from their ship.

Gladion takes control of one part of the helm while she grabs onto the other, and as she looks down with the motion of things, she lets out a horrified gasp.

"The _bridge_!"

" _What_!?"

Moon points at the fallen structure of a bridge in the distance, coming closer to them. It's barely a bridge, just hinges of it left, but Gladion becomes suddenly aware that those hinges are at a position low enough to tear off part of the masts of the ship with one clean sweep. The boat can pass under the bridge; the masts won't.

And the fact that the Blackring is beginning to retreat and slow down doesn't help matters at all.

Gladion screams into the wind, darting his eyes between Hau's gliding, probably unconscious body to the utter chaos at their hands and the demise they are about to be slapped with. "You have to slow down! We will crash with the bridge!"

The ship speeds closer to the bridge; heedlessly, recklessly, drifting as the ship speeds astray and Moon flashes him an expression of raw panic and straight-up guilt. "I got no idea how to slow it down now! We gotta try to dodge it!"

A groan lost in a blur of movement, in the bridge as it approaches them head-on, no brakes, no space left to think. "How in the world are we supposed to dodge _that_ now!?"

Screams ensue from the _Canopella_ as the masts meet with the bridge and they crash into the water, releasing torrents of foam and water while the ship is met with the debris falling from the structure. The vessel spins, topples over currents of water and breezes through vines and moss, and bumps with rods that tear at the walls of the vessel.

It's a mystery how they make it to safe lands alive.

When they do, all of them are slumped over the railings of the ship, panting heavily and dizzy after a close brush with death, water, and pirates. The ship is covered with vines, dust, rocks, and probably one or two dead fish.

The vessel, seemingly a thousand years old, touches the land softly, barely a poke, and it shudders at the contact, close to a breakdown much like that of the barely conscious warriors.

Moon wheezes. She coughs out some water.

"Thank _Arceus_ I didn't leave it on automatic."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ThisChapterIsLikeAFeverDreamBecauseTheAuthorWentInsane.jpg
> 
> for real though there came a point while writing this that I said "you know what? we need more Moon insanity and we need to make her exTREMELY chaotic to compensate for--" and then I fell asleep 
> 
> the next chapter is also me writing while having several creative aneurysms and thinking that I could just consistently one-up my own craziness 
> 
> AHEM ENJOY WE'RE OFFICIALLY IN THE KANDRUS EMPIRE AGAIN LADS ISN'T THAT EXCITING BEING BACK TO THE NOT SO PLEASANT AESTHETIC don't you guys love traveling HHHHH
> 
> (that subtle smiling Gladion on deck though. he likes them v much. he likes Moon v much or maybe not hmmm)


	13. Like Kids Fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moon drives Gladion insane. Hau watches. They meet with old friends and avoid danger while kicking and screaming.

Reaching the immediacies of the Kandrus Dominion feels weird for Gladion. Used to the warm temperatures, the extensive green fields and the bright colors of the Aedus Dominion, coming back to humidity, dark bleak colors and the cloudiness of the Kandrus is disorienting, to say the least. Granted, he was raised in this territory, but change is what bothers him the most; it will take him a few days to adjust to the fact that they are back to basics, to where they first began.

It shouldn't feel as foreign as this. Maybe he had taken a liking to the Aedus and their saturated colors, the beaming sunlight, and how everything is in place and tidy; unlike the Kandrus Dominion, with bare trees scattered across the shore and the grass just as wet as he had left it. In the distance, he can see the forest turning into orange and brown leaves. Time passes for everyone, he supposes, even for a place as untouched by time as this.

Moon doesn't seem to be having any issue adjusting, looking around with the same childish interest as usual. By her side, Hau drags himself forward, letting out small noises of exhaustion. "So, we agreed we'd go to the Bleakdross Incursion right away."

Her stating this plan once more tells him right away that she is, for whatever idiotic reason, not happy with this arrangement. "Yeah. We agreed to do that a couple of days ago."

And Moon takes his reiteration with a gulp and a pat on Hau's shoulder. "Right. The thing is, I remembered Nanu told us about Kukui being one of the Saint Riftwalkers. It came to me while we were running away from death in a ship and stuff."

"Something that you caused," replies Gladion, voice dry. "Because your ability to drive a ship is lacking and almost deadly."

Hau, unable to speak, bobs his head. Moon decides to interpret that as him heaving to puke, so she puts a hand on his back again and acts innocent, but still flashes a grin at Gladion as seconds pass and she remembers that event with uncanny fondness. "C'mon, Gladbag. It was heaps of fun!"

"We almost _died_." His eyes turn to Hau. "He _is_ almost dead."

Hau shakes his head dazedly. "Dude… don't write me off jus' yet, I just gotta… lie down for a while."

"Yeah, we gotta get you a good doctor. You look like a tree fell on ya', Hau," her voice is gentle but vibrant, clearly joking, and Hau stammers out a laugh. "As I was saying, we gotta go to Bleakdross, but Kukui told me to go back to Gemstone Village when the three of us were together again."

Gladion frowns. "Right. He told us the same."

"So, my point is," Moon sighs, pursing her lips. "We're gonna go to Reikyuu."

At this point, Gladion is fully convinced Moon has lost her damn mind, and treads to where he is right before her with his hands on his hips and _glowering_ in distaste. "Did you hit your head on the ship? We _cannot_ go to Reikyuu!"

Gladion is sure she knows this, considering she committed one hell of a crime there and got them in the same situation that has them now tiptoeing around the woods like rats. Has Moon forgotten that they are wanted criminals, especially _there_? Everyone will know who she is! They will arrest them as soon as they arrive at the town, so all that's left for Gladion to wonder is how far off sane land she is to think that could be a good idea.

"It won't be so bad! Listen, I got a plan!"

"None of your plans have convinced me thus far, so feel free to try convincing me this time."

"Stop being so stubborn! It's all a matter of being sneaky and… I guess maybe disguising ourselves wouldn't be a bad idea. Hm." She gives the idea a spin and then shakes her head to focus on what matters. "Reikyuu has one of those pretty portals and stuff. Remember that time we couldn't get through one of those in Gemstone Village because we needed an insignia?"

Gladion does recall being told that, yet it seems like a small detail is escaping her. "Yeah, but I doubt they will let us in with an insignia from a foreign land. They will think we are spies and have us in handcuffs in a second."

"Who said anything about insignias from the Aedus Empire, Gladbag?" Moon rummages through the pockets of her pants and springs out three medallions, made of copper slates with a dragon carved on it, dangling from three silver chains. Her grin barely fits in her face. "Look at what I found in that lil' ship!"

Great. Fantastic. Turns out that not only must Moon be functioning with half of her brain – probably whichever is the stupidest for her – but it must be also attempting to give him a heart attack. "You _stole_ those? First murder, then theft, then breaking into property and now _theft_ again?"

It's like Moon is going back to basics. The mere thought terrifies him, but she's ignorant of these issues. "The ship is technically ours now! It's lost property!" She beams, dangling the medallions even higher. The metal pieces clink against each other as her frame shakes in laughter. "Besides, it's not like somebody is gonna complain! We'll be fine!"

"How can someone like you be a _headmaster_ of a whole _academy_?" Far from taking the blame for this, Moon smiles at him sweetly, arms behind her back. "Your criminal record is too heavy at this point."

"She's a teacher, an assassin, and a thief," comes Hau's voice, wobbly and tired, his body slumping against a tree with a sigh, "did you expect anything else?"

In his defense, he has a point. And Gladion knows better than to fight her in this, considering that she's also on the right. At least she hasn't gone out of her way to tear off the golden railings of the ship or ransack it to its foundations, so within the very gray criminal boundaries of her behavior, this is morally acceptable.

The fact that he's accepting those tendencies of hers of getting what she wants no matter _what_ dictates a growing problem in his own behavior, but he can't be bothered to fight it anymore.

With Hau idle and still recuperating from their… _troublesome_ trip, Gladion is alone with her, though she's putting a remarkable amount of attention in her friend, kneeling by his side and rubbing his back. Gladion sometimes forgets that Moon might be all jokes and games, but underneath that mask and that unpredictable behavior, there seems to be a genuinely kind person. However, her porcelain mark is always on, and he can't help but wonder what that mask can be made of to remain on all the time, despite the cracks and the passing of time.

At least it seems like it's been hanging low, lately, traces of her personality shining through the dark mysteries that she always teases at, but never really says out loud. Moon constantly skirts around her issues and jumps everywhere, fidgety and never idle.

Gladion wonders why more often now than ever.

As he watches her look after Hau, he also wonders which things she does are part of the mask, and which are her, just _her_ – the same _her_ that fought him to death, the same that jumped after him, the same that dragged him into this very complicated life of enemies and allies.

Moon has always had a knack for making enemies. Hau, however, _makes_ friends. And Gladion's role, he supposes, is to keep those antagonizing forces at bay.

Maybe that's why he, in the end, is fine with going to Reikyuu. Because it will be fine. It has always been fine. And if he can't make sure everything is fine, Moon and Hau will.

That's the core of trusting your friends, he guesses.

It's not half bad.

* * *

Breaking into Reikyuu had been easy. _Too_ easy. Moon had insisted all they had to do is breeze through and nobody would notice, but things had gotten complicated when she had stopped, jogged idly and realized that _yeah, nobody would let them through if they were recognized_.

Which called for plan B, one that Hau had been immediately against, squatting in a solitary chamber behind a shop that Moon had been in before. "Dude, so you've done this before?"

"Mhm," she nods, squatted between Gladion and Hau, one of which has a blank face rivaling that of a white naked wall. He clearly shouldn't be surprised, but he is, and the more she tells them about her adventures in this town, the more he realizes that her trouble-making skills had gone beyond simple murder. "I had to get nice and pretty for the party, how did you think I did things?"

"Maybe like a common, sensible and abiding citizen by _paying_ for it?" asks Gladion, a pinch sarcastic, because he knows what she's about to say.

"That's not my style!" _Of course_. "The guy tried to con me! I'm not gonna let a guy do that to a fair, young and innocent lady like me!"

"Your use of _innocent_ is liberal, to say the least."

She flashes a grin. "And very justified! Look at us, squatting in a corner of this pretty room in silence!"

"Dude, we're waiting for the guy to come back so we can _strike_ him," grimaces Hau, tugging at the collar of his shirt. "Don't you have money and stuff?"

"I have some, yeah, but I don't want us to be recognized. The more we stay hidden, the better." Gladion believes her when she says that. He's seen her paying for things in several places now, not to mention that he's trying to save himself from overthinking what she could have done in his absence. "Besides, this is more fun!"

"Debatable, considering your definition of fun implies a crime of any sort."

"Yeah, dude, totally unbefitting of a teacher like you."

Moon and Gladion interrupt their bickering to turn and look at Hau, who is clueless as to what their surprise could be about– though he makes a wild guess and thinks it's about his wording.

"What? I bet I'm also a walking dictionary like Gladbag, you two just haven't seen anything yet!"

Right as he says that, Gladion hears a noise coming from outside. The salesman has returned from what must have been a lengthy trip to the restroom, sighing and stretching his back. Everyone is in their lunch break now, rendering the market street empty and mostly idle. Moon gets up, removes some non-existing dust from her clothes and walks up to the wall that separates the small back room from the actual stand.

"'Kay, I'll go out and do the deed– because I don't think you two wanna get your hands dirty, right?" The bait hangs in the air, her mischevious smirk growing as their negative comes in the form of a heavy silence– which also translates into permission for her to go on. "Good! Wouldn't wanna leave the operation in your hands. We know how that would end."

Gladion squares his shoulders in annoyance. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing you need to know about!"

And that's how she leaves, abruptly barging out of the backdoor and into the outside with a cringe-worthy brashness, and instantly, the man he guesses to be the vendor lets out a muffled _"Not this again!"_ , but Gladion is hoping he heard that bit wrong. There is no screaming, no blood pooling into the backroom, but the fall of a body on the ground and clothing hangers being pulled in a rush.

When Moon comes back to the dusty hidden room, she's holding an absurd amount of clothes along with around 5 hats stacked on her head, which Gladion doesn't know how she managed to put on with so little time. "I think we got enough stuff to put up some fancy disguises!"

"We have enough to organize a parade," Gladion corrects her, taking some of the clothing from her arms, examining it. Most of what he can see has a good, nice texture, so he can't complain about the quality. "What are we supposed to do with these, anyway? None of this matches."

"Nobody said we have to be kings and queens of fashion," she says, grabbing two hats from her head and putting it on her friends' heads: a green hat on Hau and a straw hat on Gladion, ruffling his chopped bangs. "We just gotta look different! We can have some fun!"

Moon throws the other hats to the ground, and all that remains on her head is a shorter straw hat, which she removes as well when she sees a few wigs at her feet. There is a particularly curly one that matches her hair color. When she puts it on, Hau cackles. "Ooh, you look like one of those crazy ladies with cats and stuff! Very fancy!"

"You're saying it like she was not crazy enough already," Gladion replies, causing Moon to try and smack him on the head, but he dodges it with ease. "We don't need to be so extra. As long as we cover our most outstanding features, we will be fine." He looks up from a scarf he's holding to his friends, who are exchanging wigs in curiosity. "Hau could use a wig, and Moon could act like a normal person for a change." With a finger on his jaw, he surveys the pile of clothes before him, ignoring Moon's pout of vexation. "As for me…"

" _Your fringe_."

He doesn't know what's worse: the fact that they said it so quickly or that they said it at the same time. When he turns around, they are staring right into his chopped bangs– without animosity, but their determination makes him feel uneasy and scared for his golden locks.

Gladion remains speechless. Hau speaks. "Dude, those banana-shaped bangs are gonna be the end of ya'. We gotta do something about them."

"Yeah…" Moon takes one step in his direction with a focused stare, enough for Gladion to take another back. "They're too shiny. Your hair is already bright on its own. Maybe we should trim it all off, hm."

"We will _not_ cut my hair!" Gladion exclaims, causing Moon and Hau to take another step closer with laughter shaking their shoulders, and he feels a wall under his fingertips and behind his head. Sweat begins to accumulate at the base of his neck, eyes prying into his unlike ever before. "We can just hide it or something. No need to do something as stupid as that."

But the sorcerer shakes his head at his negative. "Dude, if we don't–"

Moon puts the back of her hand on Hau's chest, and that shuts him up immediately. There is a spark of meaningfulness in her eyes as she stares into Gladion's green eye, the only one visible, her eyes a degree softer. He wonders where this sentiment comes from, her expression pinched albeit still light.

She has that weird ability to convey many emotions at once, and Hau understands immediately. "It's not that easy," she says, and Hau nods quietly. However, her eyes still preen like a hawk surveying its prey. "But we still gotta do something about it. No cutting. But we could pin it to the side."

If she recalls that conversation they had what feels like months ago in Gemstone Village, he doesn't know. She certainly sounds that way, and Gladion nods in understanding, too. "I'm fine with pinning it. Do you have a–"

Moon swiftly reaches under her shirt and Gladion groans, remembering their adventures in the Blackring Outpost and her uncanny source of bobby pins: her bra. She takes a thin black one out and shows it to him with a grin, toying with it a little. "I have a pin. A very pretty pin that you _definitely_ didn't almost ruin."

"That could work, too, pulling it back a lil'. Wouldn't be bad for your other eye– wait, d'you even have another?"

"Of course I do. I wouldn't be able to see you two's stupidities as well as I do if I only had one of these."

Moon rolls her eyes, expression focused and falsely offended, as childish as she's always been. "Imma' stab you in the face with one of these if you don't chill," she tells him, soft, but still very much honest. "Do you wanna pull it to the side yourself? Or can we do it?"

He arches an eyebrow in surprise. "What, do you want to do the honors?"

"I'm kinda curious, not gonna lie. I wonder what you got behind there that's so worth hidin'." Hau moves around a little as he says this, switching from side to side as Moon looks at him with a wary eye. "Maybe you got a different color in the other eye? Or no color? Or maybe _two_ eyes?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I just have another eye, like… everyone else. Why is this up to debate?" Gladion crosses his arms defensively over his chest. "If you two are so excited, then go ahead, but don't get too touchy."

Moon nods and her fingers slip through the space between his forehead and his hair– it feels so _close_ , almost soft, but she's so focused on combing it back and pulling it off his eyes that he can't quite read the feeling. Hau pulls Moon's pin between his pinched bangs, and asks for another bobby pin because it's 'a hard to tame creature, Gladbag's hair', but Gladion lets them do as they please, holding back the urge to swat their hands off and do it himself.

And all within a second, their hands are off his face, and there is too much light in the room all of a sudden, both from the sunlight streaming through the cracks in the ceiling and the wonder in their eyes. Gladion has never stopped and thought that while everyone can see each other's two eyes, little to no people have seen his. What does he look like, now?

As he pats for any stray hairs on his face, quiet and eyes tense, Moon nods. "Lookin' decent for an ogre with so much edge. Nobody will think you're the goth lil' boy you truly are!"

Her sassy comment prompts him to put his hand on the handle of his Silvally, at which she snickers, a careful hand hovering over the dagger in a silent challenge that Hau quickly intervenes in, stepping in the middle by putting a small straw hat on Gladion's head. "There you go! Lookin' good, dude!"

A polite nod. "Thank you, I guess."

A few minutes after that, along with Hau and Moon tugging for a poncho and Gladion silently picking the most color-coordinated clothes – which his companions are _not_ doing, much to his distaste, the three exit the place in the following order: Gladion, a straw hat on his head, a beige traveling cloak covering his dark clothes, his backpack over the outfit; Hau, a bright red jacket on, too warm for this weather, a pair of sunglasses with their lenses plucked off and a green fedora; Moon saunters out, golden, blue and orange cloak paired with a fake mustache, round sunglasses, and a huge sombrero.

Gladion and Hau stare at her as she digs her feet into the dry ground and takes in a big puff of air. The blond is the first one to make a comment. "You're an eyesore."

"Dude, you look like you went through a hurricane. You're like a fever dream." Gladion nods in agreement as Hau points at her outfit. "Don't 'cha think we're gonna look a lil' suspicious with you by our side?"

"You look just as boldly offensive to fashion as she does, Hau."

"Dude, at least I'm not wearin' a mustache! The heck is the purpose of that when you look super girly and…" For a lack of better words, Hau shakes his head. "I don't… even know what to categorize ya' as."

Pushing her clenched hands up in enthusiasm, Moon cheers. "Imma' throw 'em off so hard they won't say anything about it! It's the art of camouflage!"

"Wait, are you serious? You want to go– _where are you going_!?"

Moon has already parted towards the maidens and their portals, the two women already taken aback by Moon's uncanny appearance and Gladion _swears_ that he's about to have an aneurysm. Her hat is bobbing up and down her head, her mustache is probably about to fall off and Hau is sweating bullets. The searing heat cannot be helping his nerves, and looking nervous in any shape or form will give them away immediately.

"Hey there, Miss!" Moon greets happily, waving one hand to greet the woman, who is spellbound and staring at Moon with wide eyes. "We wanna go to Gemstone Village! We got our insignias here, too!"

Out of the blue, she springs out the three insignias, grinning. Moon's outrageous outfit and her direct speech are tactics too abrasive for the woman to handle, as she quickly nods and steps aside to let Moon in– and when she sees Hau, the woman takes a big step to the side and tells something to a fellow maiden before leaving.

When the maiden turns to see what she could possibly be talking about, Hau just salutes at her and Gladion grabs a fistful of his shirt and drags him through the portal.

* * *

Going from the dry grounds and scorching heat of Reikyuu to Gemstone Village's humidity and verdant places feels like a slap on the face. Gladion wishes he could say that's a figurative manner of speech, but it isn't– in fact, he almost gets whiplash as they walk into the village through the portal, and when it closes, they are left with maidens staring at them in bewilderment while Moon just continues walking like she's the most normal human being in existence.

"'Kay boys, we made it," she announces, throwing her arms up and wiggling in glee. "We're in Gemstone Village in record time! Isn't that awesome!"

Gladion isn't that joyful about it, though, and is keenly aware of the people staring at them all around. "If it weren't for the fact that you and Hau look insane, then yes."

The sorcerer looks around with a bright smile. His curiosity about this village is endless, even though he and Gladion had already visited it in the past. "That was _dope_! And this place is still as pretty as ever! I'd say it's even prettier without those nasty dudes stealing from lil' kids."

"Totally! The air is so much cleaner now, too!" Gladion is about to say that it's all a figment of her imagination, but she takes a very exaggerated breath and sighs in pleasure. "Very fresh! No pirates around, that's for sure! And look at us, safe and sound!"

"Moon, is that you?"

A sweet and gentle voice comes from behind the girl, who instantly freezes and turns around to find Taeyong, the owner of the local teashop with a stack of boxes on her arms. Gladion and Hau, recognizing her and considering themselves busted, tense up as well, and the blond can already feel the trickle of dread climbing up his spine, knowing that she will call the guards, that they will be arrested and that Moon has finally done it, she's finally gotten them killed _god fucking damnit–_

But Taeyong simply laughs. "What are you doing, wearing those clothes? You look like a clown!" She might about to rat them out to the guards, but Gladion feels peace knowing _somebody_ agrees it's ridiculous.

"Oh, uh, _no_ ," she replies, facing Taeyong with courage that only someone like her can pull off. Hau's grimace intensifies. "Sorry Miss, we are not who you think us to be. We are merchants from a faraway nation."

Gladion groans. Hau looks at the two in distress. Taeyong squints with a smile. "I'm pretty sure I know who you are, _Miss_. I would never forget a traveler's face like yours."

Moon blinks once, twice, then three times before she sighs and tugs at her fake mustache. "Okay, you have discovered us. We, indeed, aren't merchants." Gladion and Hau hold their breath, and by the looks of it, so does Taeyong. Then, Moon quickly sweeps up a fake monocle from under her cloak and coughs. "We're very important businessmen from Reikyuu. We're gonna make people rich here!"

Gladion takes a big step forward and smacks the sombrero off her head, gentle enough not to hurt her yet harsh enough to startle her. Hau stifles a laugh. "How is that excuse any better!?"

Seeing her very fragile façade broken, Moon turns around and faces Gladion with a pout. "C'mon, it was perfect! You had to ruin it, didn't ya'?" And it gets worse when Hau starts laughing and his hat falls off his head, revealing his very telling dreadlocks. "Aw, look at what you did now! We can't even salvage him now!"

"As if we had anything to salvage. You are a terrible actress!"

"And you're a terrible actor!" Moon grins back, crossing her arms in satisfaction as she sees him frown and seethe, but she knows better than to take him seriously. "Your soul is so dark you can't even hide it with those rags!"

Hau's laughter – very probably an aftermath of anxiety, Gladion notices – overlaps with Taeyong's giggles as he growls at Moon's daring smirk, which only grows when he puts a hand on his SIlvally and Moon visibly threatens him to take out her daggers. The challenge for a fight so he can get rid of the utter _panic_ she's induced in him with her extravagancies is cut short, however, by Taeyong walking to them.

"You two are at it as always, huh? I thought you would have changed a little by now." Her sigh afterward is more resigned than angry, and she regards them with a smile. "Hau seems to be having fun."

"Ah-Ah, Miss, you haven't seen anythin'," he stammers out, his body shaking with the last vestiges of laughter. "They like fighting it all out, but it's okay. They ain't gonna kill each other or anythin'. I have a theory that they're each other's punching bag."

"Me? A punching bag? Don't make me laugh!" Moon exclaims, all too proud to ever admit to something of that nature. Gladion's expression becomes just as proud and hard, crossing his arms. "He's just bitter. But that's fine! That's why me, the sweetheart of the group, is here to compensate for that!"

Hau watches her smile grow and is immediately intimidated. "I wouldn't call ya' a sweetheart, but whatever rocks your boat," Moon mutters a small _excuse me_ that the sorcerer knowingly interrupts, and he chooses to regard Taeyong instead. "Sorry for their lil' brawl. They're pretty harmless, trust me."

Gladion lets out a grunted _excuse me_ and Taeyong giggles. "It's fine. I also heard you guys got into some trouble with the Kandrus guards, huh? They came asking for you three, they were so rude about it too! Incredibly disrespectful!"

The three grow still and wide-eyed. Gladion throws a small question in the air. "You… are not going to tell the guards about us?"

"Of course she won't, buddy! She can't rat out the heroes of the Gemstone Village, after all!"

Gladion would have fallen forward by instinct and in sheer fear hadn't it been for Hau grabbing his shoulder to stabilize him. Kukui, having appeared out of thin air on top of a tree by their side, laughs as Gladion looks at his back with a stammered response fluttering in his lips, yet the only one who succeeds in delivering a proper response is a grinning Moon, who approaches him with a casual saunter.

"Hey there! You sure choose the good spots to lurk at, don't you?"

Only now does the monk notice the group's outfits, and his eyes widen in response. "What in the world are you guys dressed as? Especially you, Moon, you look like a clown!"

Taeyong laughs, and Moon turns her eyes into stale black in exasperation. "I asked her the same! Not to mention that Hau must be burning with that on," she mentions, approaching him and tenderly helping him take it off.

"Dude, thank Arceus. I thought I was gonna melt into a pool of Hau-flavored goo." Gladion's nose wrinkles at the off-putting comment. "But yeah, Moon, what's up with that? Are ya' tryin' to annoy the shit outta' Gladion? Because you are succeeding spectacularly."

"As much as I love to do that in my free time," the victim of this agrees with a throaty sound of agreement, at which she giggles. It's an oddly cute noise, Gladion thinks. "Whoever saw me in Reikyuu saw me in very pretty and fancy clothes. When I said I was gonna throw 'em off, I meant it. They won't expect someone as elegant as me to be a complete badshit insane woman with a sombrero."

Her explanation clearly surprises them– especially Gladion, who has never seen her do anything close to that level of thinking. Kukui, in particular, seems surprised. She regards them with a half-baked offense in her eyes.

"Did you think I was being cute? It was all pure, cold, Gladion-style strategy!" Moon nods, smiling to herself. "I had a great idea. None of you wanted to see the greatness of my genius."

"I don't know if that was a compliment, but I don't want to know. At least you're admitting it was a pretty insane sight to behold."

Moon takes off her cloak slowly, shaking her hair into place and removing her sunglasses in the process. Hau, following her example, picks up his hat and swats off the grass blades sticking to the velvet fabric. "Well, at least we're alive. We ain't gonna say this was… pure genius, but it got us here and that's what matters."

Kukui nods at them and drops from the tree. Gladion takes a look at his appearance, trying to see if anything had changed, if he had missed any of the probably telling details that could have foretold his status as a Saint Riftwalker; yet, he finds none. It might be that in his humbleness and almost hermit appearance, he radiates a pearl of wisdom that he had failed to appreciate back then.

Clearly a sign of his lack of view in a world he still knows little about.

But Kukui seems eager to teach them lots about that.

Taeyong seems to catch the intent in Kukui's eyes, because she nods at them and smiles, beginning to part. "The whole of the Gemstone Village knows what you did in the Outpost– the news spread fast, and we won't tell the guards you are here. Drop by the teashop later, and don't bicker that much!"

Moon and Gladion, feeling very rightfully called out, only promise that with a small ' _yeah_ ' that Hau imitates, but much more enthusiastically. Then, he turns in Kukui's direction, who is giving them a big smile and scanning them from head to toe– not in suspicion like so many people had done in the past, but _excitement_.

"'Kay, you three," he begins. "Ready to train with this big ol' Saint? Kinda wanna see what the heroes of the Gemstone Village can do."

This is going to be one long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate/love this chapter because 1) It has a big chunk of crazy Moon because yours truly toom about 574839 drugs while writing this (no) 2. I love Gladion thinking about what his friends mean to him but 1) this chapter has NOTHING OF INTEREST and 2) this is a VERY NEEDED transition chapter because things Are About To Kick In and next chapter is a very long awaited one and a very VERY important one and from then on LOTS OF THINGS ARE ABOUT TO HAPPEN
> 
> so we're at the wake of Plot And Important Serious Stuff Kicking In
> 
> like things HAPPEN in 2 chapters and I can't emphasize the amount of stuff that's about to happen from then until the end of the arc. we're gonna bolt through. it's gonna be a blur of action and MANY THINGS ARE GONNA HAPPEN SO READY THY ASS FOR NEXT CHAPTER BECAUSE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
> 
> fr many things will happen. one after the other. each chapter one wild thing after the other in a very neat sequence
> 
> it's v neat. shit's about to go down fellas


	14. Wheat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion and Hau make an earth-shattering discovery about Moon. A heartfelt promise is made.

The Jaguar Farmlands serve as a stopping point for the trio to rest during sunset, and everything is barns, fields of crops and quaint houses with an unavoidable cozy feeling to them. Gladion is dimly aware that Ludwig Town has always had fields like this, yet these are _immense_ and Gladion has never been quite this close to these, nor as free to wander and explore as he is now.

Hau is immediately running into the fields to touch the golden crops. Gladion has learned in the long while he has traveled with him that he has a burning instinct to touch everything and anything in his field of view. "Dude, look at all this! They're gonna have bread for _years_! Look at all this wheat!"

The town is mostly composed of infinite fields of golden wheat and the flutter of butterflies across the plantations, dyeing the view with dots of color and the richness of the golden grain. The mountains stand in the distance across the fields of tomatoes, wheat, and corn, looming in a fog of darkening blue as the sun disappears under the sky.

Gladion is instantly reminded of Altaria Bay, in a way, because of how vast the space is and how there seems to be a space for sunlight in an Empire as wicked as this. Altaria Bay is more about the harp, the sea, the seagulls and the sand; the Jaguar Farmlands are more about the drum, the fields, the plains, the golden wheat and a lingering smell of freshly cut grass.

Ludwig Town has places like these, albeit never this big and colorful, and Faba had taken him to watch the farmers work several times, always making an emphasis on how this was the only job a man like him could _not_ take.

The memory of wheat under his fingertips and sunshine at the back of his neck is vague, and the ripples of Faba's words don't reach him as sharply as they should, yet the image of clear skies, soil under his little boots and grime under his nails as he tried to pluck off straws of wheat remains in his memory.

" _All those men you see in the distance, Gladion, are miserable poor scoundrels,"_ he would always start by saying that, pointing at the few farmers working the land, shadows against the golden sunlight. _"You are not only becoming a fine man under my tutelage, but you know better than to follow these people's undoubtedly misguided steps. You can have a future much brighter than theirs."_

And, of course, he would become excited after being bestowed with faith as big – yet artificial – as that. _"Really? Will I become a doctor like you? Will I help people in need, too?"_

" _Why, of course."_ Faba would say, nodding, and continuing to stare into the distance with pure disdain in his features. _"I'm raising you, after all. If you didn't, I would be greatly disappointed. Nothing I touch shall become as poor and… depressing as the farmers from this town."_

" _You will always deserve better."_

If Gladion had known what the future awaited, he would have probably been excited for things much less plastic than those he had during his childhood– but considering all the things he's seen thus far, maybe his younger self wouldn't have understood the meaning of what he's doing.

Moon approaches him from a side, a straw of wheat plucked between her lips. "Hau is having a blast, eh?"

"Nothing new. It's tempting to get into the field, to be honest." Moon nods and Gladion continues staring. "Why do you have wheat between your teeth?"

The straw bobs up and down as she speaks. "I'm blending in with the townsfolk, _mate_."

A sigh. "Please, don't call me that."

"Everyone here has one of these, so I gotta follow the trend; y'know, blend in. I don't get the appeal, though, it's kinda tricky to speak without the thing falling off your mouth," she speaks, and much to his surprise, she's holding a piece of paper and reading it, darting her eyes from Hau's shape playing in the wheat and the paper in her hands.

Hau eventually comes out of the field, shaking off grains from his deadlocks. Even when he's supposedly done with that, he has some of them stuck in his hair. "Man, that was cool! I wouldn't mind living here for a while!"

"I would agree with you if it weren't for the Kandrus troops chasing after us. I still don't understand what we are doing here," Gladion explains, looking at Moon whose eyes drop from him the moment he stops speaking.

"Aww! I was feeling all happy and now I'm worried again. But you're right, though…" Hau turns to Moon as well. "What are we gonna do here?"

"We're not gonna stay here for the night, no worries. I just have something to do here, it'll take me just a minute." Moon looks up from her paper and flashes them a smile. "Did you two think I was gonna rat you out or something?"

"Leaving you in charge was a questionable idea, that's all. Only you would lead us into the mouth of the wolf so recklessly."

A grin. "Thank you!"

"I don't think he was complimenting ya'," says Hau.

"We won't be here for long. I just gotta visit two people and we'll be off to camp outside." Then, she holds up the old paper in her hands, which is severely wrinkled after being in her pocket for weeks. "There's this family who is looking for their son, so now that we're on this grand, super fun adventure of ours, I thought I'd ask them about the kid."

"Woah, a lost kid? That sucks. I can't imagine being a dad and having my little kid getting lost somewhere– or worse, being captured!"

Hau's comment drives Moon to absolute silence, which is unexpected. Gladion chalks it up to her focusing on navigating the streets– if these paths of dirt with houses to the sides can be called that. "Where did you get that flyer?"

"A Kandrus guard gave it to me before I left to Reikyuu… you know, _that_ day." At least she's speaking with a certain degree of shame. "So I thought we could reinforce our legacy as heroes and do some good deeds before we beat the Blackring's ass."

There she goes again with that stupid riddle of hers. Hau, however, leaps right to her side, arms behind his head and grinning. "Dude, you're right! Though, won't it be kinda hard?"

"Finding that kid? Maybe for you two, but not for me! I know this place like the palm of my hand!"

At this point, Gladion believes everything she says, but he still chooses to antagonize her simply to torment her just like she does to him. "Do you know how big this Dominion is?"

"Mhm!"

"And you're aware that we are wanted criminals, right?" Another nod from her– no grin, but there is no sense of panic in her twinkling eyes. It astounds him how she can keep it cool but him, the king of doing that, simply can't. "And that the child will be small, probably."

"Wait, did I say he was a kid?" Gladion and Hau stop walking, and she does as well, thinking about her mistake with a wince. "My bad. It's actually a grown-up guy we're looking for. You two just confused the shit outta' me."

"Dude, you forgot about _that_?" Moon nods simply, and far from being annoyed by this, Hau grins. "You're one hell of an investigator."

"Right? Of course I'm a genius!"

Gladion turns to Hau, backhanding the sorcerer's shoulder. "Don't humor her!"

Moon sighs. "This is what happens when you travel with people, they distract you! Look at me, all confused and lost because you two made me think it was a child. I was unnecessarily disturbed."

"Knowing how distracted you are, you would have probably looked for the child regardless." Forehead sweaty, Hau nods in agreement. "But anyway, where are we going now?"

Fortunately for them, Moon reaches the desired house in that exact moment. It's a small home made of blue wood with a red roof, classic enough to not clash with the environment yet pretty enough to stand out on its own. It has potted plants on the veranda, nothing rotten, all fresh; it's safe to assume people live here.

Just as Moon slants a foot on the steps to the house, a woman walks out of the house, only to take a step back when she sees the visitors at her doorstep. "Honey! Look at this!"

Gladion can't discern what tone exactly it is that she's using, but when the husband comes out of the house and seems to recognize them all, he reaches behind him and pulls out a long rake, pointing it at them while his wife hides behind him. "Who are you!? You are those scoundrels the Emperor is looking for, right!?"

None of the three had seen this coming, being recognized by the people that had requested help, and Moon has no guts to make a joke out of this with a weapon pointed directly at her throat. Behind her, Gladion's hand lands on the handle of his Silvally, knowing that this could end very badly–

"Calm down!" Hau walks to the veranda, hands up in defeat. "We– Let us explain ourselves, we ain't here to cause trouble!"

"That girl," the man moves his rack in Moon's direction, who might not be scared, but she's _petrified_. "She's the assassin! She's here to kill us too, huh? She didn't have enough with one soldier, she wants regular people too!"

Not knowing better, Moon rolls her eyes. " _Please_ , as if a pair of farmers would be any more interesting." Gladion hisses her name in reprimand and the back of the rack ghosts under her chin. "We're not here to kill anyone. I believe you're looking for… your son, right? It says so in this bulletin."

Hesitant, they wait a second before holding out their hand so Moon can hand them the paper, which she does. When the couple has read the missing notice, they sigh in unison and the rack is lowered a few inches. "You… want to look for our son?"

"We want to help. Us three." It's weird for her to include all of them in a mission like this, but she does, and Gladion is glad to hear that. "If you let us in, we'll explain." Moon turns around, looking at him with intent in her eyes, which he can't understand. "Let go of your sword."

He had not realized that he had been holding onto the handle of Silvally until she mentions it. Indeed, the coarse leather of the handle burns under his fingers, surprisingly tight under his grip. Gladion isn't sure what had triggered a reaction as aggressive as this, but as Hau and Moon's eyes linger on him and wait, he lets go of it slowly, carefully.

"If you want to talk, let's go inside," says the woman within the house, stepping aside to let them come in. "Do you want anything to drink?"

Moon tells her that a glass of water for her would be fine – her voice is audibly dry, he notices – and Hau shakes his head before turning to Gladion. "Dude, when Kukui told ya' to be more quick to act and stuff, he didn't mean _that_."

"I can't stand people threatening us like that. It makes me nervous."

"They were holdin' a _rack_. The only thing they'd have done is comb our hair or give us a pretty sadistic massage."

Gladion chuckles. It's good that Hau, in all his childishness and naïvety, has the ability to calm the air with the snap of his fingers. It might be that training with Kukui the other day had left him sore all over and he's unnecessarily tense– but seeing a weapon being pointed at Moon and her not caring _at all_ had rubbed off the wrong way for him.

Hau is right, though: she probably knew little harm would come to her with a rack being pointed at her.

Moon comes back to the three with a glass of water, which she offers to them with a subtle gesture. Both of them reject the offer, and the woman comes back. "I'm happy to see that somebody has finally picked up the bulletin. It's been… years. I can't say I'm happy people like you will be in charge, but…"

"Look, we aren't the canon model of heroes, but we're gonna find your son." They are _far_ from canonical heroes. They might be villains at this point. "Forget about what the Kandrus guard is saying. It was all a terrible misunderstanding."

Gladion crosses his arms and looks at her with an irritation-wrinkled expression. "The way you killed that man was pretty straightforward. There's no space for misunderstandings."

Remembering what they had been told about the murder, Hau whistles. "A knife to the throat. _Man_."

"No need to give them details!" she slaps Hau's shoulder with her hand, then turns to the couple again. This is one of the few rare occasions wherein her smile is completely gone. "We'll find your son and bring him back to you. We would need a bit more information, though."

The woman sat down on the small armchair, but Gladion feels too much like a guest to do the same and take any commodities. He guesses the couple must be in their fifties, but there are wrinkles in the woman's expression that age her more than the passing of time ever would. She sits heavily, and when she takes her husband's hand, it's done with evident hurt.

"Our son… he used to work for the Karee Empire as a soldier, back in the day. He has always been a rowdy kid, not necessarily the kindest, but I'd like to think that he hasn't become a bully, wherever he is," she explains, a sigh rocking through her. "One day, a little before the tragedy, he came home, packed his things and left without a word being said. He looked angry. And frustrated."

Such words betray desperation and sadness, things that show that this woman remembers that day like it had been yesterday. Gladion can't imagine how hard it must be to live with that.

"Do you have any idea where he could've gone? Y'know, maybe he joined the army or something," says Hau. Gladion knows he's trying to be helpful but he really should work on making it seem that way.

"Guzma said he wanted to be a beastmaster. He used to read a lot about mythology, and he said he wanted to catch all of them and make them their pets– but he was a kid when he said that. I'm sure being in the army toughened those ideas, so we have no idea where he could have gone."

Gladion sees Moon mouth the name slowly, eyebrows sunken. "So your son was in the army? Do you have any idea why he left?"

Hau arches an eyebrow. She ignores the silent question.

"We don't know," confesses the father. "He was never open about work with us, but he was angry that day, or maybe just very insistent on leaving. We don't know what happened, if we maybe did something wrong, but... "

Hau is moving quickly to the parents, and kneeling before them with an expression so kind it makes the hardness in their faces fade a little, replaced by delighted surprise at Hau's gentleness.

"Don't worry. We will find your kid– well, your son, I don't think he's a child anymore, but we'll find him! No matter what it takes. I kinda get what it means to have somethin' so important ripped away from ya'. I guess everyone's got something they lack– but that's kinda off-topic," Hau corrects himself, then nods, placing his hand on their joined ones. "We can promise he'll be back to ya'. No matter how long it takes. A kid can't be a kid without his parents, no matter how much time passes."

The woman sniffles blinks at him and then turns her head, bringing a hand to her eyes. Hau looks behind him to look at Gladion and Moon, maybe seeking approval, and Hau must have seen the surprise and flash of feeling in Gladion's eyes because he scrambles to his feet and approaches him, hurry written in his features and illuminating his eyes into something wide and fearful.

The swordsman is quick to dismiss him, though. "No need to worry about it. You're right, but my case doesn't apply to these people."

"You sure? I didn't mean to hit a nerve or somethin'."

Gladion chuckles under his breath, humorless, but still light. Hau's ability to empathize with anything living and breathing around him is appalling. He's constantly rushing to anybody's aid if necessary, crying when the rest can't, soothing the ones in pain, fixing what's broken and mending what has been separated. Hau might be very enthusiastic about being a hero, but his behavior, sans how slow he is to act and his reluctance to fight, classifies as that of a proper hero.

He's an interesting kid. Gladion can't deny that. "I'm fine. Let's focus on what matters now."

And just as Hau nods and accepts his words, turning to the parents again, Gladion realizes Moon has been silent during their exchange. She would usually insert herself into any conversation they had, peaceful or wild, and her not dipping her toes into it made him curious as to why.

Before he could think about it any further, though, Moon clears her throat and takes a step forward– thus preventing him from analyzing her expression, either on purpose or merely incidentally. "We will find… Guzma, was it? Can't help but think we might've heard that name before. But we'll find him, and take him back here with you."

The mother is wiping another tear from her eyes, the ghost of a smile on her face. "We just want to know if he's okay. It's been too many years, and we just want our boy to come back home."

As she reassures them that they will, Moon's voice is light and determined, and he can picture a grin tracing her lips just as always– he would never expect anything else from her. When Gladion tries to catch a glimpse of her eyes, though, he succeeds and finds a smile, a grin, expression crinkled in faith that, unlike ever before, doesn't reach her eyes.

He can nearly see the mask trembling on her face, porcelain rattling under fake pretenses that might fool Hau into his current smile, his agreement, his easy posture and his promise to fulfill their goals– but she can't fool Gladion.

When she darts her eyes in their direction, though, everything is fine and the sparkle is back in her eyes.

He wonders what's up with that.

* * *

"Dude, you could have simply _not_ done that! The poor guard was just minding his own business!"

"He was wearing a shiny bracelet!"

"Made of _copper_!"

Moon grins at Hau as she continues speaking. They are both walking ahead of him, involved in a session of bickering that has lasted for a good ten minutes. He's well aware that their arguing is anything but serious, although Hau looks majorly preoccupied with this issue, and Gladion wonders if it could have anything to do with all he had seen in the Blackring Outpost.

"Copper or gold, I haven't gotten anything good lately and the Empress is _continuously_ telling me to get jewelry and all that stuff. None of you would know about royalty life and all that, but she's always telling me my clothes are a disaster." Moon shakes her head and very casually catches her shirt with a twig from a bush. The fabric grows a rip she either ignores or isn't aware of. "What's wrong with my clothes? My uniform is fine as gala wear! Besides, she never invites me to those fancy galas anyway!"

"I mean, your clothes are kinda… old? And you always manage to get 'em dirty, I don't understand why," says Hau through a grimace, clearly uncomfortable telling her this but still doing it, much to Gladion's inner amusement. "You're a mystery to humankind."

"You two just aren't used to a true traveler's life. The dry sand, the harsh winds, having your hair in a mess, the bites of piranhas– you aren't used to all that yet," Moon explains, nodding to herself in self-approval. She should get somebody else to approve of those thoughts of hers. "Well, maybe Hau is, Gladbag is still a baby traveler. I'm an eagle, Hau's a seagull and Gladbag is a magpie."

"I should remind you that I'm taller than you– and older."

"Age is just a number."

"And so is height, but the fact still stands that I'm older and taller than you," Gladion catches up with them. "I think Hau might also be older than you, right?"

Hau nods with a smile, and Gladion takes of Moon clicking her tongue. He smirks. "You two are twenty-one, right?"

"Little Miss Daisy here is twenty years old."

Moon springs from her spot and attempts to pounce on him, but he dodges her attack. It appears that he's found a new nickname to use in his spare time. Hau laughs openly. "I turned twenty-three last week– well, a few days ago. Sayin' weeks ago sounds like too much time, ain't it?"

"Hmm, yeah," Moon says, her finger drumming on her chin. "We've been traveling for a while now, though. We didn't find much trouble around this time, so that's good!"

"Mostly because you got rid of any possible menace," says Gladion, vaguely enough for her to smile at him in hopes of it being a compliment. "If you could consider that poor guy from earlier, the three sailors, and probably two portal maidens thanks to your insane disguise."

"The three sailors were about to rip you to pieces, so maybe you should be thanking me, Gladbag," Moon winks at him and effectively ruffles his feathers even more, "The maidens were fine, and I only knocked the guy out. Hau's just exaggerating."

"I'm sure I saw life fade from his eyes," Hau's face looks haunted for a split second, a single drop of sweat falling down his jaw. "I'll never sleep again."

The bottom line of their conversation is, as Moon says afterward, "We've been traveling for maybe… months in total. We left Zeffarei a week or two ago and it's _insane_ I haven't thrown Gladbag off a cliff yet."

And it's even more insane considering she had the opportunity to do so once, and she chose to save him instead. "The feeling is mutual," which earns a giggle from her. "In any case, as we were saying…"

"Right," Moon clears her throat. "I think it's been about two months. Though I spent half of it growing as a warrior and getting stronger, and you two…"

Her trailing off is meant to ridicule them, he knows, but he doesn't let her win and stares at her _hard_ , challenging her to finish the sentence. Black and green clash until Moon becomes distracted by some noise around her, giving him the hypothetical victory.

Hau, however, takes it lightly. "I was workin' at a farm! I hope you didn't think my arms being _ripped_ came outta' nowhere!" Then, he turns to Gladion before Moon can make another question. "Gladbag, though–"

"Let's not talk about that."

Moon blinks and her eyes glide to his green ones, wondering what that could have been about, but the topic dies at that.

After a few minutes of relatively silent wandering, Moon points at the small space they have stumbled upon, where no trees meet. It's small, three trees around them like three corners, with some moonlight shining down on the minuscule clearing. "Let's camp here. I don't wanna risk another guard sneaking on us."

They arrange a small camping setting for them. Hau has carried the food for tonight in his backpack at Moon's request at the Emissary's Factory, and, of course, Hau did it with gusto. Gladion is surprised he hasn't been nibbling in some of the pastries Moon had cooked for his birthday– when he unveils the small pastries, all of them are intact."

Moon is in charge of finding stones while Gladion looks for sticks– a very poetic irony.

When Gladion comes back with a bunch of sticks, all of them properly dry and full of branches, Moon and Hau are talking in wisely hushed voices. Thankfully, no animals will come to bother them either. "Why can't you light the sticks on fire and done, though?"

"It's kinda hard, actually. I know some tricks for kids and stuff but making my magic tiny is just as hard as it is to make it all huge and powerful," explains Hau. "I could try, but I might set the whole forest on fire and that ain't good. We don't wanna burn to a crisp when we go to bed."

"If it burns Moon, then it's fine." Zooming through the air, a shadow brushes his temple and nails itself on the tree he's come to sit by. The dagger shakes as it stops, grazing Gladion's temple by just an inch. "You can take a stab to the leg but you can't take a small brush to your ego? You're ridiculous."

Her eyebrows twitch– she's caught the reference, and huffs. "Says the one who's still bitter like a lemon because he got his ass kicked! You're still bugged about it! You're not Gladbag anymore," Moon stretches her pleasant smile into a sneer. "You're _Gladbug_!"

The dagger that had been previously by his head lands by her right leg, and he can tell she's mocking his aim by how she hums a chuckle. Hau's face brightens at the exchange. "Will you two stop fightin'? I don't wanna be woken up from my sleep just because you two were at it like a married couple."

The implication of him being married to _her_ is so ridiculous he doesn't address it, but Moon does. "Gladbug and I getting married? You marrying an actual malasada would make more sense, pal."

"So the nickname is a thing now?" asks Gladion, purely spiteful.

"Told you I'd be looking for new ones. Your bitter ass deserves a just as bitter nickname, but don't worry!" Gladion clicks his tongue. "I'll look for something even cuter!"

Hau observes them with a small smile. Watching them bicker might be one of the most entertaining things Hau has sat through in his whole life. Them fighting both against and alongside each other is terribly pleasing, but seeing Moon not give an absolute crap about Gladion getting pissed is beautiful, almost poetic. Considering how almost _haunted_ Gladion had looked at first, consumed by his need to find a family, him being lively and a bit more talkative than before warms Hau's heart.

As Gladion seethes, sulks – though Hau knows he can't get that angry at Moon anymore – and Moon grabs a piece of wood to carve it absent-mindedly, something comes to Hau's mind. "Come to think of it, we've been together for a long time."

"Mhm," nods Moon, slicing a bit of wood with her dagger.

"And we all kinda know what we're here for, right?" That's an odd way to start a new topic, but Gladion is interested and regards him accordingly. "I wanna get my memories back, and Gladbag wants his family back."

Moon's carving halts altogether when Hau points his index finger at her, and Gladion feels a shudder run down his spine, eyes widening.

" _You_ , though, we got no clue! And thinkin' about it, you've never told us either!" Gladion finds is _terrifying_ that Hau can make a question so heavy in such a light-hearted manner, and he has to wonder if Hau is truly as naïve as he presents himself to be.

Gladion has never seen Moon become still like that, not even in front of enemies, in front of the Empress– but Hau has done it. It's amazing and all sorts of unsettling.

Moon doesn't say a word, but she blinks and stares into the fire. There is no heaviness in her eyes or stance, but the silence is noisy enough for him to think Hau might have been _too_ daring.

But then, she looks at him again, chuckling. "Why does it matter? I'm just traveling around. Nothing important, really."

Gladion has seen that tactic enough times for him to recognize it, both in her and _himself_ , and he abruptly finds out that he doesn't like seeing that hesitance in her. At _all_.

"Isn't that a bit hypocritical of you, Moon?"

Moon's eyes snap in his direction. The gesture alone is abrupt enough for it to betray hidden tension.

The swordsman takes the liberty of scoffing and crossing his arms. "You have been constantly nagging at me to open up and calling me edgy," though that's a stretch; he knows she has been joking, but it serves his purpose, "but you don't want to answer a question as simple as that?"

A flinch curls her gestures into a hit nerve, which makes Hau spring into action. "You don't gotta respond if it's so hard to say. We'll respect your limits, 'cause you have respected ours. Like, is it a sensitive topic, or–?"

"It's not… that bad. You guys won't get it anyway– it's personal, yeah, but it's nothing you need to know. I'm just traveling."

"But you are traveling for a reason, right?" Her lack of response is enough of a positive for Gladion. "We want to know that reason. We won't push you. But you once told me that if we were going to collaborate in a mission, then we needed to communicate so things flow better– not like it has been a hassle now."

Or: how does he word his burning curiosity in a way that doesn't sound either _burning_ or _curious_?

"I have no idea what you're talkin' about, but that's true," says Hau, moving closer to where he's sitting right by Moon. Hau looks at Gladion and nods at him, but the blond doesn't understand the gesture and stays in the distance. "Let's just have some bondin' time. We're friends, right? We gotta listen to each other."

Moon looks at Hau, long and hard, more silent than she's ever been, and then, she sighs, a weak chuckle disturbing the lack of noise. "Is it that important?"

"If it's keeping you so silent, then it is." _Goddammit, he hadn't meant for it to be so sappy but she shoots him a smile and suddenly he feels a bit better about it_.

His words, however, earn him a sincere smile from her– a breeze before the hurricane.

"Well, you two, uh, know I've been traveling for a while, right? Like, a long time." What a curious way to begin a story, but both nod and let her continue. "I've been travelling since I was, like, seven. I'm actually an orphan."

She has the audacity to say this with a wobbly smile, so uncharacteristic form her that Hau gets offended in her stead. "An _orphan_? Like, no parents?"

Moon nods slowly. Her eyes get lost in the fire in front of her, and her frame shrinks as she tucks her knees under her chin, distraught. It's not usual to see Moon become so tiny and withdrawn, and it suddenly slaps Gladion that Moon is not only preposterously overpowered and insane, but also human.

The image in front of him – Moon not being invincible, being vulnerable, digging past pains and truths for them to see with quivering will – makes something unpleasant stir at the pit of his stomach.

"My parents were killed during the incident in the Karee Empire, along with the whole army. I think you two know that part of the story, I guess? I escaped when the fires occurred, but my parents obviously had to stay in duty. They didn't have time to run. There were barely no survivors." A heavy sigh escapes her as she says this. She heaves an inch forward. "When I got out of my house and the fires I ran, ran, and _ran_ , like I have been doing all my life, and reached a small town in the desert of the Sandlands, at the Bleakdross Passage. It's what I was told, I don't remember any of it, but I got to a nearby village and that's all I know. And from then on I... I've been alone for the most part."

A pregnant and heavy silence hangs in the air. Gladion had not expected Moon to actually be what she looks like: an actual _hermit_. A very versed and experienced hermit. He had entertained the idea of her experience being just an act and her confidence being easy to break, playing it off as another gig; but not only is it all real, it also has a pretty bad reason to be that way.

Moon has been alone her entire life. If not alone, she's been _mostly_ alone.

"So…" Hau's voice emerges wobbly and unsure, more than Gladion has ever seen it be. Tonight is one of firsts. "Your parents. They died when the portal to the Dark Realm opened?"

Gladion almost hits his very dense friend. Moon nods. "Yeah. And we all know it was the action of one guy. Well, I had my doubts, because the _coup d' etat_ was a only a rumor at the time, but Nanu pretty much confirmed that fact, so…"

Moon dedicates each of her friends a single look, as though she's looking for what words to say. Her eyes sparkle with unforeseen uncertainty.

"I'm... _looking_ for that guy."

Gladion's eyes widen and he shifts, uncomfortable with the truth. He catches the drift instantly, and in his condescending persona, he has to get up and drop right before Moon, between her and the fire. "You have lost your mind."

Hau blinks. "Why?"

Because she wants to avenge her family. Her homeland. She wants to bring down the harbinger of the worst tragedy ever known in this Realm.

"I _haven't_. If somebody's gonna make him pay for what he did, then that's gonna be me." And _that's_ when Hau catches up and lets out a small ' _yikes_ '– not as severe as Gladion's declaration, but their opposition to her plans is obvious. "I'm gonna bring him out of the Dark Realm if necessary. I'm not gonna let that guy get away again."

Gladion's throat is inexplicably dry. "You will also get killed in the process just because of your own stupidity."

Something that he, as it stands, shouldn't be worried about. But he is. Even if he knows he can't do a _thing_ about it.

"Me? You haven't seen me at my full potential, Gladbag. I'm not gonna let that guy even touch a hair on me." And her confidence is back, making him remember that she obviously will defeat the guy, somehow. There's a small layer of steel determination under her words. "If what Nanu said about him being wiped out with the Dark Realm's portal was true, though, then I'm just gonna make sure he's dead. And I'll do whatever it takes to achieve that goal."

Hau's teeth grind in a grimace. "You wanna get legit proof? Ain't that kinda impossible? Bleakdross as it stands should be enough evidence of the dude being dead, right?" asks Hau, who has a hand on her shoulder even though Moon shows no signs of distress – she's not crying, she's not trembling –, other than alarming stubbornness. That might have been why Hau nodded at him earlier– to come close to her, too.

"See? That's the thing! We can't know for sure." Moon combs a hand through her hair. "It might be nothing, the dude might be dead, but I wanna make sure. I'll find a way,"

"All you will do is get yourself in trouble unnecessarily," he claims with his eyebrows sunken in the middle, clearly vexed. Secretly concerned. Not much. Enough to exist but subtle enough to not show through. "You're so troublesome."

Moon and Hau share a look that then splits in Gladion's direction, where Moon spares him a grin of recovered mirth that soothes his frown. "Aw, Gladbag, you're starting to sound romantic! You got a way to win a fair and innocent maiden's heart, that's for sure!"

He jumps to the gunpoint too quickly. "You, a fair and innocent maiden? You have committed more crimes than any of us in this camp!"

"I'm still plenty fair! Lemons can't tell criminals and heroines apart!"

"All you have of fair is being _fairly_ insane, if anything."

And they fade into bickering and a few empty threats here and there, where Hau tries to meddle, fails and has Gladion incriminating him for humoring Moon's admittedly funny antics. At the end of the night, Moon and Hau laugh at Gladion's expense and the latter retreats to his ugly blanket and hisses for them to be quiet, because him being genuinely concerned shouldn't give them leeway to joke around more; which they do, in the end.

And he finds out that he doesn't mind it that much anymore.

At some point of the night, the fire begins to die down and Hau retires to his position somewhere to Gladion's right, while Moon lies at the other side of the fire, to his right.

The cracking of the fire gets between them, but she will probably be awake and he has something to get out of his chest. "It was very unkind of me to call you hypocritical. And very uncalled for."

"You were kinda right, though," responds Moon in an equally as quiet voice, surrounded by the fading fire. "And I'm glad I kinda got it off my chest. It's not a big deal, but… I don't mind you two knowing more about me. We're friends, aren't we?"

Her question clearly expects no answer. He had been silent at that time, so he's silent again.

But Gladion has something clear in his head, now more than ever. "Hey."

"Hm?"

"You were right." A short pause. "I would catch you, too."

He counts the seconds it takes for the coin to fall on her – four seconds, each longer than the last, and all she does is hum in acknowledgment, letting out a small chuckle. Perhaps, once upon a time, Gladion thought he could get away from people by telling them they weren't close, even though they were. Maybe, once upon a time, he thought he was making himself a favor by pursuing one single goal, self-seeking and not caring about the rest.

But if it's about the ridiculous and annoying Moon and the uplifting but achingly innocent Hau, he can make a few tweaks here and there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jane: Mirai, Moon is evil. I bet she's a pirate. I bet she's evil and she's gonna backstab all of them.  
> me, holding back this chapter from appearing: o h d o y o u
> 
> Turns out Moon also has a Sad Orphan Story and ALL THE MANY LITTLE ISSUES HERE WILL BE DISCUSSED IN THE FUTURE this is just the beginning of her development arc we love Moon in this household.
> 
> But Gladion has something clear in his head, now more than ever. "Hey." / "Hm?" / "You were right." A short pause. "I would catch you, too." - Gladion openly admitting to caring about her and STRENGTHENING THE BOND THEY SHARE I'M SO EMOTIONAL BECAUSE HE'S MAKING A REFERENCE TO WHEN MOON SAVED HIM AND MOON GLADION QUESTIONED HIMSELF HE CARES ABOUT HER SM I'M D O N E
> 
>   
>  Is this an important part of lona's story? It is. It's v important. You won't notice how important it is after later :))))) /laughs in hidden  
> 
> 
> WE'RE HEADING TO THE BEGINNING OF THE END OF THE ARC LADIES AND GENTLEMEN SO BRACE YOURSELVES THE NEXT 6 CHAPTERS ARE ALL BIG ONES!!! I'm SO excited >:DDD


	15. Epitome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion, Moon and Hau meet someone new. A new enemy is made, and old enemies come back.

Gladion had thought the Bleakdross Incursion wouldn't be as dark as he remembered it to be. In a blur to train and get away to where Moon had been, when she had been the wanted criminal that, in a way, she still is, Bleakdross had been only a blur of purples and blacks, with the memory of him almost being murdered by a monster at the entrance of a twisted tower.

All of it nice, endearing, beautiful and very, _very_ safe. He doesn't know where he'd be without sarcasm.

Something he does recall, however, is Moon making this place seem better than it actually was. He knows this because she's doing it again. She's doing it while they are right within Bleakdross and he can witness her lying to his face in her eternal and blissful delirium of a life. "See? Everything is peaceful! And look at how pretty everything is!"

"Man, that's one hell of a weird perspective," Hau blurts out. "I thought it'd be much better than it used to be. It ain't changed at all."

"For once, I agree. This place is disturbing. And cold."

But Moon keeps on walking like it's nothing. Her steps are secure, wide, feet raising an exaggerated height. It's like a shooting star brightening the way, but her confidence is so overbearing it looks like she's burning her way into this dark place.

Gladion and Hau sag forward. She springs from one step to the next. "We'll be fine! It's not like the sun has stopped shining!"

"Dude, you're wrong– it _has_."

"And it's not like we can't breathe! We are still alive, aren't we?"

"The clouds are so heavy and so dark I don't know what we could be exactly breathing right now."

"Exactly what I wanted to hear!" Not really. She's just marching to the beat of her own drum by now and ignoring them. Nothing new, but still as aggravating as usual. "I guess the Orchard of Souls must be at the depths of the Highlands, right? We gotta go right away!"

"Hold up, you wanna go there, like, right away?"

"Why are you so surprised? She invented the 'break the door, think later' philosophy."

Moon turns briskly to face them, beaming. "A _great_ philosophy!"

"No, it's not. The fact that you are an actual _authority_ in Zeffarei is still a mystery." This could be easily explained by the fact that right now, she's just goofing around, but that the face of a _murderer_ he had seen during their fight is much harder to laugh at.

"I beat the director's ass to the ground and he ran away. Zeffarei should have a big-ass statue in the middle of the plaza for ridding them of that dude." She turns thoughtful, eyes turned to the sky where no sun shines. "I could climb it! I bet there'd be the best views ever."

Hau is always affected by Moon's comments. Her way to swerve the topics from left to right constantly proves itself useful and lifts Hau's spirits visibly. "Then we should hurry just in case we don't make it outta here alive. We just gotta fetch the thing and run, right?"

"If there are no guards, then yes," responds Gladion, "but I doubt there will be no opposition. Last time we came here, things got difficult. I think you know what I mean, Hau."

"Woah, you're right. And we didn't tell Moon about it!" Possibly because her name is told, she stops walking to turn and look at them, head tilted in curiosity. "Yeah, things got ugly here. Is it normal that the air feels so weird here?"

"Yeah, of course. Remember what Nanu said about… well, the portal and all that?" Moon swallows a gulp as she says this, and the men nod. "Dark chi is like, everywhere here. Why do you think everything looks so pretty?" Again, a very twisted way to say beauty. "It's normal if you feel a bit weird. Or dizzy. Or heavy. If you wanna puke or whatever though, you better not do it on my shoes."

"Guess it's good you know so much stuff about this. Gladbag and I legit thought it was just the Bleakdross effect, being creepy and all that." Moon nods. "So it's all just dark chi? We'll be fine, right?"

"Of course! I wouldn't have sent you all here the first time if I knew you could die!"

"That's debatable," Gladion murmurs.

"Besides, if anything here was _that_ toxic, you would have dropped dead a long time ago! It's just a bit hard on the body, you'll get used to it," she explains, enthusiastically rising to go up the wooden steps up the hill of the Highlands. "Did ya' guys get into lots of trouble? Without me?"

Gladion doesn't know if her being thrown into the 'monster attack, almost died' mix would have been any better. If anything, she would have just spider-sneaked her way into the tower and Arceus knows what would have happened next. "We were walking around that big tower and a monster came out of it to attack us. It seemed in pain."

"A monster? That was probably the guardian of the Highlands, Groudon."

Gladion feels his own eyes widening. He knows that name. "Isn't that one of the Sacred Beasts of this continent?"

"Mhm. They call them Pokémon."

"Pokémon? That's a kinda lame name, ain't it?" Hau asks. If he's afraid of insulting any deity by saying that blasphemy, he doesn't seem fazed by it. "Why that name?"

"Dude, deities must be like, _giants_. Taller than your sister, your father, your mother, your future lover and your future kids put together," she says with a nod and a finger under her chin, oddly pensive for a comment that random. "I guess those guys must be like pocket monsters for them. Get it? They clapped their hands and the names came together."

Hau, hesitant and aware of Moon's usual rocambolesque stories, looks at Gladion for confirmation. The blond nods. "I… see. That's interesting, I guess. Never knew they were called like that!"

"It's a kinda neat name," Moon states. "Imagine having one of those in your actual pockets. That would be great, wouldn't it? We could travel around with one of those big guys in our hands and take over the world together!"

"That sounds like something a villain would say," says Gladion dryly.

"You know what I mean! Maybe the beast you ran into that time was very big and scary, but I'm sure it just wanted some cuddles!"

The group stops walking for a second when they stumble with a pair of guards in what looks like patrol duty, and as practiced, the wanted three duck behind some dead trees and walk behind the barks instead.

Hau pales, reliving the memory in his head. "Aggressive cuddles, maybe. It squeezed Gladion _very_ hard."

Jumping to one of the decaying trees to survey their surroundings, Moon nods. The bark lets out a creak of complaint at her weight. "No wonder Gladbag is so torn over it. He doesn't like hugs."

A growl. "That's not the point! What matters is that we were ambushed by that beast. It's a miracle we made it out alive."

"Ambushed? Were you the ones barging into the tower or did the beast come out to play with you?" Moon knows them too well to believe they would go out of their way to bug a beast like that, and much to her pleasure, they don't say anything against her hypothesis. "I knew it."

"We were just going around the tower! We were at the entrance when the beast just came out and grabbed him. We weren't looking for trouble, for real!"

Gladion never thought he'd see anybody having to justify their irresponsible actions to somebody as reckless and _irresponsible_ as her, but Hau is doing exactly that. Moon doesn't appear to be that annoyed by that, though. "Doesn't matter. I think we're gonna have to walk by the tower to get to the Orchard of Souls, though."

"Is it very far away from here?" asks Gladion.

"I'd say about ten minutes or so. The Orchard of Souls is just a small field between cliffs, going down a slope." A fluttering thought turns her face into a grin. "There might be some ruins around there too, so we might get some–!"

"I only asked you for the time, and we are _not_ going to go on any more adventures for now. We don't need the money." Hau says something along the lines of _'yeah we kinda do'_ but Gladion pays no mind to that. "We had enough trouble with the ship back at the Soakedge Strait. Let's try to stay alive, grab the pendant, and head back to Zeffarei."

"Woah, you're right! I had forgotten about the Blackring for a hot sec there. Traveling so much ain't good for me, dude." Gladion releases a disgruntled sigh, treading behind Moon as she leads the way and Hau walks by his side. "Let's hurry then! Maybe we can show the talisman to Lillie if she's not training!"

Moon nods quietly and they continue walking, with Hau making the most inconsequential questions about the environment and her answering as precisely as possible. Her silence is odd and a reminder of what had happened the other day in the Jaguar Farmlands, leading Gladion to believe something is in her mind– and that always means bad news, no matter how you look at it.

When he catches up with her and Hau, they are getting close to the tower, having strategically cut around the Kandrus camping site to not be noticed. He arches an eyebrow as he sees her expression growing pinched. "What is it? Are you actually worried about the talismans?"

"Don't be ridiculous." Ah, _of course_. "I'm just pissed we're not gonna go look for some jewels in those ruins. This lady needs a necklace for upcoming galas and I'm not gonna stop until I get either enough money to afford it or I dig it out of the dirt."

Haun chuckles. "You could also save money and buy one like any normal person would, dude."

She lifts her index finger and moves it left and right. "Where's the fun in that? As a certified treasure hunter, it's within my responsibilities to dig up any treasures I might find in my mighty and heroic adventures! And I'll carry you two with me!"

That last part makes Hau wince, more so at her long grin than the words themselves. "That sounds scary."

"Won't be that bad! You can handle a few broken bones, can't you?"

Smiling, he reaches to pat Hau's shaking shoulder as Gladion gives her statements a whirl. "Hm. It's pretty bemusing how you have more responsibilities as a 'treasure hunter'" he says that part with pointed spite, "than you appear to have as a teacher."

"I'm the headmaster of the Springblossom Academy in the day and a treasure hunter in the night. I'm a woman of many faces and quirks that you haven't discovered yet."

Moon thinks she hears an _'I'm afraid I have and I hate all of it'_ and is about to smack the living shit out of him before Hau laughs and she stops, because Hau laughing is always a very nice and welcoming noise for her. A long time ago, her days would be just her, her and _her_ sprinting across deserts and forests on her own, sleeping on trees and hunting on her own.

Now, Moon has two dumbasses to keep up with her. They hold her down, make things slower. She relishes on the noise of Hau laughing and Gladion fighting the same nature of that sound. "Don't humor her!"

A huff, Gladion looking to his side and silently looking around. In his head, the conversation is not fully finished, and something is prying in his head that he needs to let out. "I think there's a set of rather deep caves in the Lunaria Plains that Ilima told me about. We could always check them out when we kick the Blackring back to the sea and get some free time, if you two want to."

"Hmmm," Moon drawls out, smirking. "That'd be nice."

Hau celebrates the moment too, albeit much more loudly. "Yeah, that'd be _awesome_! Though I don't get why you wanna go there now– didn't ya' say you didn't wanna risk your neck now? I mean, this place is… kinda scary and all."

Hau has a point. The celebration drops as soon as they realize that they are standing right beside the tower, where thorns infected with dark chi with gigantic spikes can be seen tightly wrapped around the structure. Gladion had not stopped and admired the place, yet he can admit that in its days, this tower must have been a place to behold.

"I was just trying to humor her," he states, unable to put much emphasis as he's caught in the cloud of dark chi that is gathering close to them. He doesn't like this.

Moon is, as always, blissfully ignorant to what is happening around her– or she's putting a façade, which might actually be the case because her eyes dart briefly to the tower before facing Hau. One of her hands reaches behind her. "You ruined the moment! Look at Gladbug being cute for once and now it's just a joke? My heart is wounded."

" _Don't call me that_!" he hisses.

"I hope I am not ruining your moment any further, then."

Their heads instantly turn to a voice coming from _above_ them, and they discover a man to be sitting on the crooked roof of the tower, his chin perched on the heel of his palm with an intrigued glint in his eye. Blue hair, hard features despite his curiosity, and probably brute ability to climb if he has made it that far.

The man, knowing he has caught the trio's attention, gets up and stands on his feet, holding onto a branch from the thorny vines. "What an uncanny yet pleasing view. You three must be terribly brave if you have made it this far into the Bleakdross Incursion."

Moon puts her hands on her hips, then points at him. "And the views from up there must be nice, sir! How did you get there so quickly?"

Eyebrow twitching, Gladion backhands her shoulder. "That's not something you should be asking to strangers!"

"And why is that? If that dude got so high up there and is calling us things, then I got the right to call him things too!" Hau's expression turns awkward at Moon's brazen statement. He has probably noticed that a guy hanging out on the ceiling of a haunted tower is not good news– clearly, _she_ hasn't. "If we didn't have so much stuff to do, trust me I'd be climbin' even higher than that!"

"Oh? And what could a group as uncanny as yours be doing in a place like this?"

"Sorry, Gladbag taught me not to talk to strangers about my intentions." He never did that. "And I don't think it'd be cool either, considering you're so high up there! Tell me how you climbed up there and I'll tell you everything!"

"Why would you give up Gladbag's teachings so quickly, though!?" asks Hau, but then focuses on the stranger again. "What do you want, gramps? We're kinda busy, you see."

A chuckle. A smirk. "Very well, then. I suppose we can have a proper talk if I tell you about myself too, huh?" His frame becomes stiffer, prouder, and only now does Gladion feel the psychological weight of a man being so high up above him. "My name is Cyrus. You could call me the gatekeeper of these lands. Aren't they beautiful? The world is so much prettier when it is in the darkness, when everything is a bit colder, wouldn't you agree?"

Whether he's making a genuine question or not is something none of the three know. Gladion likes the night plenty, maybe a bit more than he likes the day. The streets are usually emptier and temperatures are much more bearable for his shadow-raised skin, so pale that even a glimpse of direct sunlight tends to hurt him. However, comparing this den of fiends and dark chi to the night sounds too extreme. It feels like Cyrus is calling this a paradise.

"It reeks of dark chi in here," Moon states plainly. "I wouldn't call this beautiful as much as I'd call it stuffed."

Considering she had called it beautiful around twenty minutes ago, the change is both worrying – because she had been lying – but also relieving – because it actually is a sane perception to have. Gladion would dare say that the grip of dark chi in this land has become even harsher.

"That is interesting to hear, indeed. Nobody lives here anymore– no wars, no battles, nothing. It is peaceful, no matter how you wish to look at it," Cyrus explains, hands behind his back and standing tall above the tower. There is a certain weight of sourness in his words that leaves a hard to swallow taste in Gladion's mouth. "Wouldn't it be wonderful? To live in a world as silent as this one. A place without greed, without selfishness, and without light."

What the hell is this man talking about? From what sort of twisted mind would something this serious and ominous be born?

Hau shakes his head vehemently. "Humankind might be very flawed, but we need the sun to live! We like the sun, the flowers, and all that's pretty and happy. I'd never imagine living in a world as gloomy as this place, dude. Sorry to break it to ya'."

The sorcerer has always been rather blunt and pushy but this might have been _too much_. The man on the roof is rubbing his chin, humming. Moon and Gladion hold themselves very, _very_ still.

"That's a very foolish vision, what you have. People like you are doomed to fall into despair when life begins to let down each and every one of your dreams. In the end, all of us return to solace– in death, in sadness, and anger. It is the core of human existence: despair," Cyrus nods to himself, and what follows his words is disbelieving silence. "Do you believe your happiness to be anything but fleeting? In the end, the night always wins. Nothing prevails but black."

A pit opens within his stomach at those words. The man is too far for the words to be this loud, this _vibrant_. Gladion can't help but believe his words to some extent; in his whole life living with Faba, some of them would end with the worst episodes of stress and sadness that he has ever had to endure, and he's ashamed to admit that most – if not all – of his stunted emotions come from that man with all corners cut and jacket pristine.

A hand on either of his shoulders. Moon takes a step forward. "Hey, you're starting to make no sense, pal. And it's starting to piss me off, so maybe you should cut to the chase."

"Hmph. You are just as ignorant as you are brave, aren't you?" Cyrus keeps himself silent for a pair of seconds, but nobody dares speak. "I sense a strong source of chi within the three of you; especially the young lady. I could make great warriors out of you, if you allowed me to."

Gladion puts a careful hand on the handle of his Silvally. Something is not right. "Why would we allow ourselves to be taught by somebody with visions as twisted as yours? Having a good predisposition is as important as having a respectable teacher."

Moon cranes her head in his direction. "Are you insulting me? Now's not the time for that!"

Gladion gives her a blank expression in return. "So, you refuse to walk down the path of the dark arts, is that so?"

"You sound like a total wet blanket during parties. We're not precisely encouraged to join your religion, or whatever you're preaching," Moon claims, nodding to herself and pointing at her friends with her thumbs. "These two might not be hard to convince. You'd do me a great favor if you got 'em off my back."

"Like _hell_ I'm going to let you sell us off like a sack of potatoes," murmurs Gladion, stepping to her side and taking out his sword while Moon smirks to herself.

Hau doesn't step forward, but backward, the three assuming their fighting stances without even realizing. "Yeah! We don't wanna be rude, but that sounds pretty sketchy. We've done enough crimes as it is, we don't need more trouble on our backs!"

"I see. You must believe your philosophies to be much stronger than reality if you hold onto them so tightly– especially you, the one with the staff. It truly is a shame I cannot convince you with words, thus…" Cyrus raises his hand. "Allow me to show you with a demonstration, then!"

Before either of them can react to this, a gust of wind slips between Gladion and Moon and kicks Hau back a few good feet, causing the sorcerer to roll backwards and into thorny bushes, yelping and wrapped in a strange purple mist.

And worst of it all, Hau is not getting up. "Hau!" shouts Moon, taking a step in his direction, until they hear the thud of somebody landing a few feet away from them, surrounded in a thickening fog of dark chi that makes breathing harder on the lungs. "What did you do to him!?"

"Nothing a nitwit like you will know, I'm afraid. You rejected my teachings, but I will make you regret your decision with the weight of my powers," he says, voice trailing slowly as the mist writhes on his open palm before he slams it on the dirty soil and the fog begins to spread.

Fiends dig themselves out of the ground from the threads of fog, causing Gladion to gasp. "This guy is–!"

"Controlling the fiends." Moon twirls her daggers into her hands. "What a damn freak!"

Gladion and Moon have grown into a rather pleasing dynamic of simply fighting in ways that will not get in each other's way, much like one would wait for the other to finish their strike to then allow the other in. With Hau out of the equation for now, they don't need to wait for him to possibly give a signal of his own attacking, so Gladion, very _foolishly_ , believes this fight will be easy.

Except that Cyrus is quick on his feet, his magic unbelievably strong and delivering hand-held blows in ways he has never seen before. Dark fire at his fingertips, vines causing Gladion to fall and Moon to have her jumps halted in mid-air; he's constantly one step ahead of them, traveling a second too fast that neither Gladion or Moon can compensate. It becomes obvious quickly that this man is not an ordinary fighter, despite his reasons to be ambling around a place like this being in the realm of the unknown.

At some point, Cyrus grabs hold of Moon's ankle as she's jumping over him and slams her to the ground, and Gladion aims his SIlvally to the man's shoulder in a spike of anger. He succeeds in hitting him, at the expense of taking advantage of Moon's vulnerability, that is, and digs it deep into the muscle when Moon lets out a small yelp of pain.

Blood never comes out, however, and the ends of his blade begin to… _break_.

It withers, roots of dark chi seeping into his blade and cracking it very gently.

Eyes turn to him– for a second, he sees the irises of a viper, eyes of somebody who has traveled far and beyond space and time. "What do you think I am made of, little boy?"

With his free hand, Cyrus firmly grabs Gladion's blade and pushes it out of his shoulder, and the sheer strength in that movement causes the swordsman to jump back and touch the ground for balance, but Cyrus has let go of Moon and has materialized a pair of silvery gauntlets, rushing towards him until he _isn't_ and is dashing towards Hau's unmoving body at the background, where a bunch of fiends have taken interest to him and are poking his body.

Cyrus aims his gauntlets at Hau when Gladion is just getting ready to dash and fight him, Hau's name slipping from his lips in a plea–

But nothing comes.

When the dust from the move clears, Moon is kneeling between Cyrus's stance and Hau's body, her bare hand slipped between the spikes of the dangerous gauntlet and fighting with trembling vigor for dominance.

"Heh. What do we have here?" That's _her_ voice. But it's not hers, either– because the tension and the venom dripping from it is _not_ hers.

The surprise comes when, with a heave of her body, Moon succeeds in pushing Cyrus back with astronomical force, the body flying across the field and dropping into the pit of water surrounding the tower. She lets out a pant, cracking her knuckles, pushing herself up and picking up her daggers. Gladion realizes, from the distance, that a gross blue has appeared in the junction between her shoulder and her arm, bruising badly.

Gladion murmurs her name in confusion. She releases a determined breath. Last time he had seen her react this spontaneously to something, Moon had thrown jokes around. Maybe it had been because Hau had almost been put in the line, but she's not doing that anymore.

A splash from the water, the blur of a shadow zooming across the battlefield that is right before Moon before it suddenly _isn't_ , and Moon is the one behind Cyrus, kicking him to the ground with one swift move that makes the fiends part in shock.

Gladion has seen Moon fight many times. He has seen Hau fight many times, too. He has seen them at their best and worst, with Hau blowing an entire watchtower up and Moon kicking his ass in person. He always thought he had seen it all.

He has never seen her fight this seriously before.

And that means this is a foe that he might not be able to defeat.

"What an odd warrior," says Cyrus, looking at Moon as she stands between him and Gladion, who is standing a few feet away. If she does this on purpose or not, he's not sure. "You are very light on your feet."

"Keeps the bastards like you away," Moon smirks at him, cracking her knuckles, "But I've fought them much worse than you. We're gonna kick you back to the hell you come from."

Moon using _we_ means she trusts _him_ , too, even when his sword is broken at the edge and it won't be useful for stabbing anymore– but it can still cut. It's still useful, and if Moon and Gladion plan this well enough, they will win the battle.

There's no other option but for them to win, because the road can't end as abruptly as this, with a guy talking shit from a roof and attempting to murder his friends.

"Hm. It appears I took you for brats. Very misguided of me, but I can assure you that this is a battle neither of you can win."

He digs his foot into the ground very subtly, something Gladion has learned from Hau to be a sign of sorcery, and jumps up to allow the incoming pedestal to push him up, and he follows a track of them as Cyrus tries to kick him into the air. The blond has grown relatively athletic over the months, and while his elasticity is not as astounding as Moon's and his resistance is not as good as Hau's, he can keep up just fine.

Gladion jumps from a pedestal to hit Cyrus with his sword, yet the other dodges with a simple step to a side that Moon, who Gladion had seen coming, takes advantage of to kick him on the back– but she misses, too, and they go back to the same dynamics of waiting, hitting, and waiting.

The man is growing restless at their attacks, and he frowns at them as he watches them stand back, their weapons held high, even when dirty at the edges or, in Gladion's case, almost collapsing. "Your games are tiresome. And boring. I do not have the energy or patience to deal with you properly, so I will make this quick."

From beneath the ground comes a gigantic root of spines, just as thick as their own bodies, dark like an abyss, and wraps itself around Moon so tightly the woman lets out a choke. Her arms become imprisoned in the attack, and no matter how much she wiggles, Moon remains idle and gasping for air. Gladion himself is not left unscathed, his own body being consumed by the same vines and hanging a few feet off the ground. However, Gladion has managed to sneak one arm out– the one with his sword.

The vines issue a dark mist that he knows to be dark chi just by the looks of it. Moon has grown quiet and still– but not from fear, but from the sight of Cyrus treading close to them with the same dark embers from earlier burning at his palms.

He wears an elegant crooked smirk, one that fits unnaturally in his face. "I will teach you two how the world of dark chi treats its newcomers. You will grow from this experience and become the warriors this world truly needs– warriors that will fight for the true nature of this dark, twisted and doomed world."

"Do you think it's gonna be as easy as that, you _jerk_?" Moon wiggles in the hold of the roots, but she's panting all too quickly and giving up. Something gets stuck in his throat. "What are you gonna do, torture us?"

"Many people have indeed described the process as such, but I would wave that off as meager complaints from people with half the chi as you two. I would avoid moving. It will scar."

The fires inch closer to them, with Cyrus carrying them. In the depths of those fires, Gladion can see his whole life flash through him: the first vague memory of rain, the many afternoons spent with Faba fishing and, ironically, the first one that comes to mind right before his death is one evening they had genuine fun, when Gladion thought of him as a father. Then comes his departure, meeting Moon, and the adventures they had thus far.

And beyond that, there's a desert and the incoming storm of death, pain, and brewing darkness settling in his core.

His whole body shakes, his jaw clenches, and he feels the desire to scream, to turn to Moon and speak to her, or Hau, anybody– but he can't move, he can't say anything other than curse, sweat, wiggle–

An explosion.

Cyrus is thrown away by the impact and the fires disappear from his hands as he rolls backward. Gladion turns his head to see Hau standing– barely, hands on his knees and holding his staff as well as he can, but he is there. Standing on his two feet.

"You won't touch 'em on my sight," says Hau between clenched teeth, walking forward. "I can't let you do that. I ain't gonna let you take another step in their direction!"

As expected, though, Cyrus survives this. He isn't burnt by the fires, only pushed by the impact. "So the sweet hopeful boy grew a backbone. How interesting."

His voice is constantly deep and drawled out, superior and mighty, and Gladion hates that side of the spectrum with a burning passion.

Moon is far from collected, watching him stand tall. "Hau, you gotta get away!"

That is a wise order, which would entail him being safe and both Gladion and herself being consumed by this pointless battle– an unexpectedly noble cause from her that Gladion doesn't quite approve, and he's sure neither does she because she's _trembling_ and this might be of the few times he has seen fear in her eyes.

Much to his shock, the same fear is present in Hau's eyes, but he doesn't waver. "I'm not gonna do that! I ain't that guy anymore!" Hau shakes his head and pushes his staff forward, stabbing the ground with its tip. "You told me to find out what I was fightin' for, right!? I think I know now– no, I _totally_ get it now! I'm just too damn slow, but that ain't gonna be my jazz anymore!"

Moon's lips part in awe, and so do Gladion's because their friend waking up from his slumber and reacting to this violence so aggressively and _bravely_ is unseen, is new, is incredible and something Gladion is proud of– hell, it's probably all over his face, the pride he feels for this, because it for sure is on Moon's expression.

"So you wish to fight me, on your own? That is intriguing to hear from a boy like you, indeed," Cyrus stands up again, and gives Hau a grave glance. "Your faith in your own beliefs is groundbreaking for me, and I would like to see more of it. I will grant you a sparing wish, and I will not lead you the way your friends are headed to; maybe, that way, you will wake up and feel the true pain of this world."

That's when Cyrus draws out a blade, thin and clearly not made for his kind. He's not holding it right, Gladion notices, which means this is merely a bluff to test Hau. Cyrus has expressed his lack of preparation for this showdown, but putting Hau against him, somebody who hasn't touched a sword in his life, is like putting _nobody_.

Hau has gone still, petrified, aware of the proof on Cyrus' body that he, indeed, will absorb all his magic. What will he do, now?

"I will slay you, and let you live. I will be waiting for the day you and I can have a proper clash of ideas, for the day I can make you wake up. Now that your bothersome friends are practically gone, you are my only remaining opponent."

And when Gladion witnesses Cyrus aiming his sword at Hau, who is still motionless, Gladion _reacts_ and wrenches his arm to toss Hau his sword, his _Silvally_ , alarmed. "Grab it! Defend yourself, Hau!"

Hau scrambles to catch the weapon, nervous both because this is _Gladion's fucking untouchable weapon_ and because _he's about to die and he doesn't want to die–_ "What am I supposed to do with this, dude!? I can't–!"

Cyrus waits no more, and launches an attack on Hau– one Gladion knows is amateur, but will strike Hau and kill him and he doesn't want to see this, he doesn't want to see his friend die like this, it's too surreal to be true–

But Hau isn't dead when the dust settles, and has blocked the attack.

And he's able to fend off Cyrus' rapier, pushing him back.

And even better, he chases after Cyrus and fights. With Gladion's sword. Hau, the sorcerer, is _fighting_ with Gladion's sword, a weapon he has never used before.

And he does it magnificently, with a grace and a technique that leaves Gladion and Moon _speechless_. His heart stops beating and he's sure his mind shuts down because Hau is fighting with Gladion's sword; he's attacking Cyrus, blocking his attacks, aiming with the right positions, waiting for the right amount of seconds and using a precision that most swordsmen lack.

Hau is not only a natural. He is an actual _full-fledged_ swordsman– a better sorcerer, sure, but a very decent swordmaster. And neither Gladion or Moon can cope with this. She's still and her eyes wider than the satellite bearing her name.

"What– What is this!?" yells Cyrus, barely able to fend Hau's unexpected technique off. "You are a sorcerer, not a swordsman!"

While Hau is truly talented in what he's doing, Gladion notices a few mistakes in his hold of the sword, and that his body is reacting weirdly to the weapon even as his mind takes the steps for him. Cyrus is overwhelmed by these news, eyes widening when Hau makes a fortunate swipe and the rapier _breaks_.

When the fight halts and the challenge ends, Hau is standing there, eyes wide as he realizes that he's alive, he's holding a sword and Cyrus is on the ground, looking at the man with such stupefaction Gladion would dare laugh if they hadn't been this close to dying.

And this is when Cyrus begins to retreat, growling as the rapier disappears into shadows. "Gr. I made an awful miscalculation, but know that we will meet again if fate plays its pieces right. This is not the end, you three– you won this time– but I will be back. I have better things to do, and nobody will get in the way of the future."

Moon, however, recovering from her adrenaline high, screams at him. "If you come back, we'll kick your ass again!"

His stare grows narrowed, head turned in their direction as he walks away. Smoke is sprouting from every step he takes, his figure growing distant as the thin dark chi mist disappears from the vines. "We will see about that, then."

And with that, Cyrus is gone, and all that is left is Hau staring at Gladion's sword. Moon, with a fortunate and wise kick, frees herself from the plant, and Gladion releases himself by sheer and brute force. Their eyes turn to Hau, who appears to be breathless, speechless, staring at his hands beyond the blade with shock.

"Dude, what the fuck–"

His words are interrupted by Moon tackling him into a hug, looping her arms around his neck. Hau almost falls at that, hugging her back with a nervous, shocked laugh. "You did _great_! What in the world was that!? You– You know how to use a sword!?"

Sweating nervously, Hau pats her back as Gladion walks to them, and Moon unwraps herself from him. There is a small smirk in his smile, dry and mirthless, but Hau should know better than to take it at face value. When Gladion receives his sword back, they exchange nods.

"I don't think so. I just sorta winged it, I guess," he laughs nervously. "And if I stepped out, it was thanks to you two."

"My pep talk worked like magic. See, I'm a genius! I should work as a therapist instead of a teacher!"

Gladion shakes his head and says a soft, "Please, don't," that makes Hau chuckle. "Still, what happened out there? We did not know you could manage yourself so well with a sword."

"Like, I got no clue what happened– Something just _clicked_ in me. You guys held him off so well– I _felt_ Moon on me, and I saw her fending off Cyrus and I just _snapped_." Gladion thinks he might be done with this topic when he says this, but it hangs unfinished and Hau looks troubled, rubbing the back of his neck before he shakes his head and nods. "A-Actually, I didn't speak about this earlier because I didn't want you two to think I'm insane but– I think I know what this could be about."

Hau sticks a hand into the pocket of his pants and takes out something that, at first, looks like the insignia of Aedus– and that's where the trick lies: it's not the insignia. It's Hau's pocketwatch.

Same design. Same carving. Moon connects the dots. "You… I _knew_ I had seen that design somewhere!"

"You just have to constantly mix up designs, don't you? First the Blackring's uniforms, and now something like _this_?"

"Hey, I hadn't seen the pocket watch in _ages_!" Moon pouts and then turns to Hau. "What does this mean, though? If you had this pocket watch when you had your accident, that means…!"

"That I might have worked for the Aedus Empire before? I thought the same," concludes Hau, putting his pocket watch into his pants again. "When I saw the designs of the insignias– no, when I saw those designs on the shields of the soldiers perched outside the palace and stuff, at first I thought it was my mind playin' tricks on me. And then I saw the insignia and I lost my mind. Seeing that I'm kinda decent with the sword, I might have worked as a soldier! Wouldn't that be cool?"

That brings so many questions to mind. What exactly did Hau do before his amnesia? Had he fallen on duty and he just was never rescued? Has he won wars, led soldiers, had the same resigned life of a man of arms? Was he as stone-cold as those soldiers? Because it's hard to picture as anything but the bubbly sorcerer he is. Thinking of Hau as any sort of professional under the law is… off-putting, almost.

Hau looks genuinely stoked to have found this out, so Gladion says nothing. "I can't believe Hau is good with the sword. I guess you'll still stick to magic and all that, right?"

"For sure. I ain't comfy holding a sword anymore, really, and it's not a part of who I am either," mentioning the sword brings his eyes to drop to the blade, which Gladion still has not sheathed. "That bein' said, you gotta get that checked, dude."

"Totally. We don't wanna have Gladbag soup for dinner if the fiends eat at you," comments Moon off-handedly, walking in the opposite direction of the Orchard of Souls without complaining, surprisingly.

"Part of me thinks you would be delighted to see me suffer."

Turning in his direction, she winks an eye at him and puts a finger against her lips. Hau laughs as Gladion groans, and the danger from earlier fades away quickly as conversation comes up effortlessly.

Sudden theories spark out of nowhere while Moon has stopped to collect a pair of berries from a tree– something Gladion heavily advises her against, but she does anyway because she's 'not gonna let a guy with a broken sword and weird fringe boss me around', which almost ends in a battle between the two that Hau stops.

"Dude, imagine this: what if I used to be, I don't know, Lillie's friend or something? Maybe I was part of royalty too!"

Gladion arches an eyebrow. "Lillie did not know you when you two met, though."

"Hoh, you're right. That sucks, it was so entertainin' to think about."

Suddenly, they hear a heavy thud somewhere close to them– where Moon is theoretically standing behind the tall bushes. Gladion _knew_ it– the berries had to be poisonous! If the trees are infested with dark chi, why is she eating them? How can somebody as talented in battles and scary as her be so childish and so _impossible_?

Except that when Gladion goes look for her, an earful ready to fire at her at the tip of his tongue, she's no longer there.

Dread settles right at the pit of his stomach as he sees a cart in the distance of familiar colors– the colors of the Kandrus, mysteriously setting off quickly as realization drops on him like an avalanche.

"Dude, you two ain't fighting? Are ya' finally kissing it out like normal people–" He approaches Gladion from behind. Eyes widening, he can see the truth of the situation catching up with them at a staggering speed. Hau's winces in anticipation. "No fuckin' way, right?"

Yes, fucking way.

Moon had been successfully caught by the Kandrus.

 _Yes, fucking way_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cyrus: look at these dark lands. aren't they beautiful  
> Gladion, Moon and Hau: we're done here sir
> 
> There are SO MANY THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THIS CHAPTER FIRST LOOK AT HAU'S BEAUTIFUL DEVELOPMENT HE'S STANDING UP FOR HIS FRIENDS AND HE'S PROTECTING THEM AND HE'S NOT A COWARD HE'S GROWING AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH AND I LOVE WRITING CYRUS SO MUCH IDK WHY JUST WRITING DIGNIFIED EERIE PEOPLE IS SO MUCH FUN THIS BATTLE WAS SO INTENSE AND SO FUN TO WRITE I DIED 578493 TIMES
> 
> He has never seen her fight this seriously before./And that means this is a foe that he might not be able to defeat.-- is that tremendous respect for Moon I sense in your heart Gladi
> 
> PLOTWIST HAU USED TO WORK IN THE AEDUS EMPIRE I WONDER WHERE THAT'LL GO FROM NOW ON /FINGERGUNS I WONDER WHAT HAPPENED FOR HIM TO GO AMNESIC /FINGERGUNS I WONDER WHAT'LL HAPPEN
> 
> I KNOW MANY OF YOU THOUGHT I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THIS PLOTPOINT but Moon was finally taken by the Kandrus Empire I wonder what'll happen clearly not what you expect so BRACE YOURSELVES PEOPLE THIS IS WHERE WE GO DOWNHILL AND THE ROLLERCOASTER BEGINSSSSSSSS I WONDER WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WHO KNOWSS LET'S GOOOOO
> 
> SHIT'S GOING DOWN FELLAS
> 
> /screams


	16. Control

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moon learns a truth she wishes she had never known.

Gladion and Hau have chosen to set a makeshift camp close to where Moon had been taken away– away from the beaten track that the cart had left behind, and away from the peering of from the nation that had taken her away from them. Gladion has gone silent as Hau fetches wood and takes it upon himself to make sure nobody is around them; no prying eyes, no more menaces, just him and Gladion with the impending issue that Moon has disappeared.

"I just can't believe it, man. We turned our heads for one sec and Moon was just _bam_! Gone!" Hau exclaims, signaling around him in an attempt to encompass the severity of the situation. "Legit, one second. That's all it took."

Gladion, chin perched on top of his entwined hands, sighs and closes his eyes. "It did take just one second. That makes me wonder if they have been following us for a while and just decided to strike now when they saw Moon was unguarded."

"How do ya' even strike Moon down like that? I refuse to believe she just gave up and went with them."

"My first theory is that she was either threatened, lured in or they just knocked her out and carried her– she's easy to distract. They could have snuck up behind her without her noticing them." Which is a very valid yet odd assumption. For somebody as quick on her reflexes as her, the thought of Moon being snuck up on like that is unsettling for Gladion.

Hau sighs with a shake of his head. "And I guess that could've lured her in with some sort of promise for a treasure or whatever. I wanna think she wouldn't let those dudes just take her away by hanging a carrot in front of her." Gladion knows better than to write that option off, though. "She… ain't hurt or whatever, right?"

"It's impossible to know that, but I doubt that. If they had… _killed_ her," a lump rises at the thought and he swallows thickly, "they would have left her here, not to mention that getting rid of her is _impossible_."

"You're right about that," Hau finally sits next to Gladion by the fire, taking out a pastry from his backpack that he nibbles on steadily, nerve-wrecked. "But if she ain't hurt, where could they have taken her? Maybe to Reikyuu? Do you think Cyrus was some sort of decoy to distract us?"

"I thought the same. Considering that's where her lengthy crimes began and it's the closest big town to us right now, she must be there now." A pause covered by a low hum of thought from the blond. "And about Cyrus… It's very possible he was a decoy, yeah– a very powerful one, but seeing how things happened, it's too coincidental for it not to be that way."

"And what are we gonna do? Just wait around and let her come back? We still gotta get the talisman and rest for a while."

Gladion waits for a second to speak, gathering his thoughts into one single sentence. "They won't be looking for the accomplices."

"I guess that's us, right?" Gladion nods. "Yeah, it's sorta weird they didn't come for us. Maybe we ain't that bad for them after all!"

But his mind is focused elsewhere entirely. "I have the feeling they might have targeted Moon for a very specific reason, but I'm not sure what. In any case, we should get her back before we advancing to the Orchard of Souls. She's the only one who knows the way, and… I don't have a good feeling about leaving her there, simply put." Hau nods in agreement, a smile growing at his lips– probably at the notion of Gladion being caring or respectful, he isn't sure which. "Reikyuu must be about a day away from here, so we should set off as soon as possible."

"And to think that last time we went there we were disguised like buffoons, dude." Very ironic, indeed. "D'you think she'll be okay? I bet she is but… just to make sure."

"I would be highly disappointed if she wasn't. It isn't like her to be caught up in situations like this against her will– if anything, I would have expected her to jump into the wagon and deal with everything herself. It would not be the first time." It's a rather bitter way of recalling how they first met, but there is no time for that now. "Do you think you have enough chi to last the trip? We will probably have to fight with people on our way there, and we can't afford being sneaky now."

"I gotta eat some more to be at my best, but it should take me just another of these" he waves his half-eaten pastry, "and I'll be fine. We gotta get there as quickly as possible. Wouldn't want Moon all bruised over just 'cause they caught her in a weak spot."

"Considering the Kandrus soldiers had mentioned that the Emperor wants her _head_ , maybe her coming back with a few cuts would be lenient. But…" Gladion sheds a nervous smile. "I have the sneaking suspicion she will have dealt with everything by the time we get there."

"What do you mean?"

* * *

"Who the fuck is that woman!?"

"Let us go already! We were running away, leave us alone!"

"Who in the world are y–"

The scream is interrupted by Moon swiftly jumping into the room and kicking the guy to the ground with her feet. She has an expression of joy despite the many wounds provided by her captors, which she's already dealt with a while ago. The castle she's been taken to is _enormous_ , all made of gold and quartz and she would be taking her time to pillage the entire thing if it wasn't for one pending subject:

"You know why I'm here– I'm just looking for the exit! Stop being so stubborn, that's a terrible look on you!" One of the men tries to stab her from behind, yet she turns swiftly and kicks him across the room, simultaneously sending a pair of men down with him. "You guys are so insistent! I just wanna get out and– woah! Is that a treasure chest?"

Things like these are what take her back to her humble beginnings, sans the impending danger and threat of being beheaded, of course, but any distraction is good if it's as shiny as that chest, sitting at the back of the room and gleaming under the sun. She goes to it immediately, despite the immediate rebuttal from a bleeding soldier. "That chest… it has nothing off–"

A dagger to the stomach – Moon's preferred method of execution, she has decided – silences him. "Shut it! Don't steal the fun from me or I'll steal the life from you! I just came here looking for the exit and you all had to be rude and butt into something that isn't your business!"

Somebody says something at the back but it all becomes muffled as she restlessly kicks the chest open and throws half her body into the wooden container. She finds a couple of things there: some coins, fabric, more fabric, and then a pocket watch made of silver that appears instantly _ugly_ to her, so she shatters it with her bare hand and leaps out of the chest with coins in her hand and an explanation to ask for.

When another bunch of guards barges into the room, Moon takes it upon herself to let go of the coins and smash the broken watch on one of the guards' face, kicking him across the room and into a window. The body falls out of the castle. "You guys have so much garbage! Just tell me where the exit is, goddammit!"

"Why should we tell you? You're the prisoner of your Majesty! Just be idle and nobody will hurt you!"

"As if!" Moon takes a fortunate leap on a small table, then reaches up to hold onto a tremendous chandelier of glass that hangs – now _precariously_ – from the ceiling. "You guys wanna catch me? Then you're gonna have to fight me!"

And then, Moon swings her legs forward and the chandelier begins to spin with her holding onto its arms, causing the big screw attaching it to the ceiling to slowly become loose, much to the panic of the guards trying to grab her from right below. "You are disturbing the royal furniture of the Emperor! Stop and give yourself in!"

"Like hell I will!"

The chandelier ends up giving in under Moon's machiavellian endeavors and she jumps up and away from it right as it crashes on the guards, and surprisingly breaks the ground of the room as well, revealing a rocky basement where light doesn't hit. There is a thick coating of blood splashing the edges of the broken floor.

Moon merely acknowledges the mess, shrugging and walking over to inspect the damage. "Man, that's gonna take you a while to fix. Chandeliers aren't even a trend anymore, who thought it'd be a good idea to put one here?"

She hears people coming from the corridor outside the room and her head instantly turns to the shattered window– she can escape before the guards come to get her and run away with the wind. There will be some resistance from the guards in the garden, sure, but she can always grab a stick and a stone and do some Gladion magic and simply set the whole facility to fucking fire.

But, she could also not do that and continue fighting through the hundreds of soldiers in this castle. Part of her is still salty for not being able to land a solid hit on Cyrus the prior day, and these guys are serving as anger relievers. She's curious to find the many treasures hidden in this gigantic castle, and she might even get to punch a few higher-ups if luck is by her side.

Moon's smile turns grim. "Hau's gonna kill me for this one."

And she takes off, punching one guy on her way out to the corridor. Moon leaps up as the guards raise their swords to fight her, but they immediately run away as they see her rolling down to meet them and kick their weapons away, causing a sea of destruction and unconscious bodies as she jumps, punches, and asks later. This could almost classify as breaking doors, but doors don't necessarily make bone-cracking noises or scream so loudly.

She's gonna have one hell of a headache after this.

"Who the fuck is this woman!?"

"You kidnap me and you don't have the decency to learn my name!? You all are cowards! Absolute scoundrels too!"

"What does that have to do with anything!?" screams another, dodging one of Moon's kicks but then getting kicked out of the left hallway and to the throne room below, which is empty sans for a few guards rushing to the epicenter of chaos. "Who the fuck are you!?"

"Again? My name is Moon, hear me!? It's Moon!" she claims with a smile, "I'm your friendly neighbor Moon! Very friendly but also very tired of your bullshit!"

Some people don't have time to answer, because she's finishing off this wave of guards and not letting the last one fall to the floor, and instead grabbing him by the collar of his shirt to lift him to where she can look at him on the face. The hush of people coming close again is a grim reminder that she's nowhere near close to being done with this army, but her fueled motivation to both get out and investigate will drive her anywhere she goes.

"'Kay, _you_ , I don't know what your name is, but just tell me where the damn exit is!"

The poor soldier spits out blood. "The-The throne room–"

" _No_! I have been there once and there are even more hallways after that!" she yells, pointing at the throne room under them, to her right and below. "There's gotta be another exit, right? How can you guys be so rich but have so few exits? I just wanna get out of here in peace!"

"Doors… closed, when there's n'emergency."

"For Arceus' sake, _I_ am the emergency? You're babies!" she exclaims, "Am I gonna have to _kick_ the doors down to leave instead of doing it like a normal person?"

Well, a normal hostage-d person trying to flee. That is kicking down every antagonizing force in her way. To leave. Like a normal person.

"Y-Yes," stutters out the guard, causing Moon to sigh in resignation and let him go with too much force.

When his head hits the rugged floor, Moon is on her feet again and watching men push through the hallways in a haste to come and see her; and while Moon would be flattered to have so much attention in an occasion this entertaining and a day as beautiful as this, she's getting tired of so much fighting. If she's going to investigate the castle despite the authorities shenanigans and insistence to stop her, she will have to know where the exit is first.

Moon does not advance further, even when the blades are raised and various threats come from their filthy mouths; instead, Moon leaps to the side and grabs onto one of the pillars of the hallway, smoothly sliding down to the throne room and jumping off to the ground, skidding to a halt and turning to the supposed exit while the guards scream for the rest to have her head.

Her feet almost slip on the polished marble floor, but she recovers her balance while dodging blades thrown towards her, which clatter on the floor and create a trail behind her that she expertly dodges.

When she's making a run for the door, however, the heavy double doors, previously just ajar, burst open and a handful of soldiers appear from behind it– along with one familiar man with a long sword, promptly aimed at her as she halts and widens her eyes. Behind her, soldiers begin to pile on each other, trapping her in the throne room.

"Looking for the exit? I believed we could escort you out of these facilities, _Miss_."

Well, crap.

There goes her escape plan.

* * *

"Y'know, I consider myself a very forgiving person," Moon begins, expression oddly pensive and calm despite the very sticky situation she's found herself in. "I can forgive you for forgetting my name. I can also forgive you for putting me in that joke of a prison, but…"

A moment of silence.

"You could at least take me before somebody who knows how to tie wrists correctly!"

Tied to a chair in a fancy room, Moon squirms and is about to free herself from the measly ties, but a guard comes from the side and presses the file of his blade to her throat in a silent threat. Seeing that the menace is very much real, she stops squirming, but her chin remains high.

And even as the alleged boss of the place sits in front of her, Moon keeps it cool. There is gold all around her, pictures so beautiful and tapestry so soft everything must be worth a fortune. However, the darkness in the rags of the man before her, balding with age and wrinkles in his face, poses a stark contrast that immediately makes her believe something is _wrong_ beyond the fact that she's trapped, tied and pretty much screwed.

The man before her is fat and ugly, that much she can say right away. He's dressed in dark yet elegant robes, jewelry resting on his neck and arms, but she can tell this man is not the Emperor just by how _filthy_ his personality smells. He has full cheeks and a triple chin, people call him boss but Moon just calls him 'balding bastard' and that's enough for people to draw their eyes towards her in suspicion.

"Despite your ability to lie like a snake and get trapped over and over again, your resilience is fascinating."

"Me, getting trapped?" Moon tilts her head, nearly bragging, but not quite. "You're underestimating me greatly, baldy. You should worry more about your hairline and not my sneaky abilities."

The boss brings a hand to his head, confusion flickering in his eyes– but then it's gone and he's scowling at Moon. Too many shadows are collected between those bushy eyebrows of his. "That's not the point!"

Moon nods somberly. "If you say so, baldy."

"You know why you are here, right? You are a highly wanted traitor to our Empire! Your nonchalance to a crime this big truly shows how ignorant you are." His words are meant to cause terror in her, it seems, because his face is wrinkled with intent but Moon's stays flat and unamused by this. "You had the audacity of assassinating one the most beloved soldiers in the nation in his own room. You were hired as an escort to satiate the sexual appetite of our soldier–"

"He was a very gross guy," Moon declares dryly without an appice of guilt. "He told me very weird things and he treated me like a piece of meat. He should have known better than to bite into whatever flesh that old guy brought to him. He was a dumbass, that's what."

"How can you be saying things so heinous with a smile!? Are you aware of the critical situation you are in, girlie!?" screams the boss, outraged by Moon's blatant lack of respect.

She remains unimpressed. "I can't take an Empire seriously when it's banded with the biggest pirate company in the region. Which, from a political point of view, I understand–"

"Nobody asked for your understanding," mutters the boss.

"But you can't expect me to be impressed any way when I could untie my wrists and just leave. You left me in a prison without bars! How stupid do you think I am?"

Moon expects that sentence to cause another exhilarating reaction from the clearly insecure boss, but nothing happens. Instead, a pause drawls between them, and Moon doesn't dare speak yet as she feels they have something to say, exchanging looks until the boss is smirking at her, a palm under his cheek in… _amusement_?

Oh. That's a different story, now. "So you consider us to be scummy, I see."

"Far from scummy. Your bullshit has a place for itself in hell."

"If that's your opinion on _us_ ," says the boss, tapping a finger at a noticeably slow motion on his knee, "what would your opinion on the Aedus Empire be?"

A clock ticks at her right. A faraway bird wails outside a distant window, but its cries are swallowed by a bigger bird coming to bite into its neck, spraying blood on the windowpane. Moon feels a chill fall down her back at the deep and slow voice of the man before her.

Something has shifted.

"It's a bright, fair, and organized empire," Moon claims. Her expression darkens, a storm brewing in her charcoal irises. "Nothing a corrupted empire like yours would know of."

The lack of reaction is worse than any retaliation they could have put on the table. About ten pairs of eyes stare into her from every direction imaginable, causing Moon to feel tenser than necessary, as though a deadly disease was spreading through the room and she would be the only victim in this procedure.

The clock continues ticking.

"Have you ever heard the expression," says the man in front of her, scooting an inch closer to her; the proximity alone is enough to bring her body temperature down, "that the more light there is, the longer the shadow will be?"

Moon instantly hates whatever this man is about to tell her. Very still, very quietly, Moon nods and swallows a thick gulp.

"Your skin has suddenly gone pale," points out the boss. The sentence would sound kind if it hadn't been pronounced with a smirk. "What's wrong?"

Moon's eyebrows sink further. "You should be the one to tell me that."

"How weird to see the snake being trapped in her own house," the observation is pointless– until he continues, "Your companions, as well. How would it feel to be told that your bed was made in a world of lies and deceit? That your Empress is not the woman she makes herself to be seen–"

"Cut the crap," breaks Moon, eyes stoic. "Stop being poetic. If you know something, spit it out."

A smirk. Moon realizes, as the man leans forward, that a heavy necklace is hanging from his throat.

"The Empress has been lying to you all along. If she sent you out in a quest as noble and dignified as taking down the Blackring Company, it has been to keep you away for a while. That woman does not care about anything beyond the saint walls of her little town, nor the people outside." Moon is about to interject with a stab of reasoning, but she's interrupted. "Following my calendar, right as we speak, the Empress is preparing her own ritual to bring hell to this Realm and proclaim herself the queen of them all."

That can't be true.

Lusamine, the stern yet caring Empress of the Aedus, with a charming daughter that is training to become the–

Moon's eyes widen, and as a pit breaks through the fabric of her stomach, her heart falls right through it. "That can't be true!" Her wrists inadvertently fight the rope restraints. "How could you possibly know that, eh?"

"Our… _allies_ have detected an influx of dark chi coming from various points within the Aedus Dominion, and most of the fiends generated from such are headed to the Aedus Palace. If our estimations are right, her plan will come to fruition soon." Moon's eyes tremble, a knot in her throat. "Do you begin to realize that not all that shines is gold, little girl?"

However, Moon's mind is far more focused on something much darker. "And you… did nothing to stop her?"

"The Emperor is not interested in the slightest in the affairs of that Dominion. He has long known about the Empress and her desire to contact the Dark Realm, but he's certain the wastes of such event will not splash on our Dominion." The boss chuckles, and Moon grits her teeth.

Her blood is boiling, her body is tense and all blood within her is rushing to her hands and head, pumping in her ears and rendering her almost deaf. She's dimly aware of the restraints growing loose around her wrists as her hands twitch, tremble, clench into fists as realization dawns on her that she might have been led on all along.

"Why… are you telling me all of this?" she asks, breathy, her voice tense and even, _too_ even.

"Because, all things considered, the ritual to open the portal will not succeed– unless there is a sacrifice involved," the boss says vaguely, causing Moon's nose to wrinkle. "A sacrifice with enough chi to open the portal and call in the Dark Lord itself, which would be more effective if somebody of the same bloodline is the offer."

That's when the teacup tumbles, falls and _shatters_ in her head, the shards reaching her heart in the shape of a pang that causes her to choke out a growl.

There is only one person she knows Lusamine would have at reach that meets those requirements– somebody who has been training hard to gather said chi, to be a sorcerer, to be ' _just as cool as Moon is!_ '.

Lillie.

 _Lillie_.

The revelation turns into pure anger in her eyes at the prospect of Lillie being in danger, the abyss within her so wide she can't keep her voice down anymore. "And where are you trying to get with this, eh!?"

A hand on her shoulder– two hands, keeping her down on the chair. The boss chuckles to himself, almost a laugh, out of spite or laughing at Moon's very disheveled look. His stance, however, has become pensive, albeit mocking by his smirk. "The Emperor is growing restless. He is… quite the whimsical person, you see. He wishes to witness the immediate execution of the offenders to the Kandrus Empire."

"And you are telling me I'll fill in that space?"

"Not quite. The Emperor's eyes have… trailed towards somebody that might be of more value than you, that being the 'handsome man of emerald eyes and platinum eyes', as he put it."

Gladion. Of course. She already knows why an Emperor as cunning as that man would be seeking Gladion out, just by how precisely he described him– and she doesn't like it one bit. Moon's lips curl into a sour smirk. "The Emperor is a weasel."

"He is smart, indeed." Moon had not meant it like that, but she accepts it regardless. "The Emperor is well aware of that man's value, and he deems him a much worthier victim than you. After all, he is associated with your crimes, and so is the sorcerer that travels with you. Both are worthy, and the Emperor's patience to have an execution is wearing thin."

The promise of an exchange hangs in the air, brushing with her nose and tickling her patience like a spider prying on its victim. "Go on."

And with that, the boss takes out the pendant hanging within his shirt, and what she sees before her is one of the talismans that Nanu had talked about; it _had_ to be. The raw chi inside is almost pungent, she can feel it tickling her own body with its soft brilliance. It seems too gentle to be harmful, too warm in color to be a weapon. It dangles from side to side as the boss shows it to her, the orange hue sliding across the man's curvy features in a much harsher light.

Not even a light as beautiful as that could make a generous and warm image out of a man as corrupt as this one– she can see it in his eyes.

"This is one of the talismans hidden within the ruins of the Sandlands. It's an ancient relic, one that has been storing chi for ages. The amount of power held within the glass is immeasurable– but I am sure a traveler as experienced as you knows what this is," he explains. Everyone around her sucks in a breath, gawking at the sight of something as important as this– something Moon and her friends have been seeking. "This could give you enough power to reach the palace in time and potentially defeat the Empress."

If what Nanu had said back at the Emissary's Factory is true, then she could indeed do that. Supercharging herself with chi could have drastic effects on her body in the long run, but the risk would be worth it as long as Lillie is safe.

However, "There's a catch, right?"

"I will give you the talisman," he says, "with the condition that you tell us the location of your friends so we can retrieve them and take them to the Emperor so they can face proper execution."

In the past, maybe this would have been a stellar offer. Many companions have died in Moon's watch and many have been handed to justice after their deeds, as a group, had been done.

Something has changed now, so she remains silent.

"It's an opportunity like no other– you are surrounded, trapped like a rat." He's right about that. "Your friends will pay for your crime, for your treason to the Empire. Not only that, but you will also be able to save that girl. It's a perfect arrangement, wouldn't you say?"

Perfect arrangement. _Perfect arrangement_. Moon smirks at him bitterly, eyes narrowed in utter sarcasm that holds pure _hatred_ within. "You're asking me to hand in my friends for power, eh?"

"Why, that is an awfully dire way to put it," scoffs the man, very much believing he has her right where he wants her: between the palms of his hands, trying to reach for a power she desperately needs. "You should be happy we are offering this to you. You will never make it out of here alive without this, and your crimes will be pardon–"

"Thank you," Moon tells him, and when he lifts his eyes to her and away from the talisman, she's smiling, "but I'll pass!"

Guards being disarmed, being kicked from their positions and to the walls behind them as the chair behind her clatters and falls backward, all too quickly for the boss to see her moving, kicking the guards away from her as hell breaks loose all around her– but damn her if she hadn't missed this. So much tension can only be unleashed with one sole way: and that's fighting.

One guy flies out the window, screaming. "I still have my knives with me! You aren't taking me seriously at all!"

The boss, alarmed by the sprout of violence, points at her and screams. In his panic, she can read the delightful shock of it all. "Guards, arrest her! Get rid of her this–!"

But nobody comes to assist him. The only guard that comes through the door only has time to witness the boss being thoroughly stabbed in the stomach before the boss himself receives a dagger to the chest.

The boss bleeds and sputters something incomprehensible at her. Moon's steps are muddled by the splashes of blood under her boots. She kicks the few people around her to the ground, dodges one sword, flashes behind the attacker and swiftly snaps his neck.

When the room is finally empty, unconscious and dead people around her, Moon leans down and yanks the talisman off the neck from the dying boss.

"My friends aren't trading goods for you to use against me. They can't be traded!" Moon yells at him. Her eyes are fire for a second, then dimly angered, but then pleasant yet still resentful and murderous. Her fingers curl around the lukewarm talisman. "I'm gonna take care of this situation on my own, then. Have fun drowning in your own blood!"

The boss tries to reach out and grab her ankle, yet she forces it back to the floor, stomping on the joint until she hears a telling crack. A scream bubbles through the thick pool of blood in his mouth as Moon retreats from the room, looping the talisman's cord around her neck and tucking it under her shirt.

She looks back one last time. "Oops. Gladion is gonna be pissed at this. At least I had a reason to–" Her words are interrupted as she encounters a guard in her way, standing under the threshold. He's shaking from head to toe, pale like a ghost and holding his sword before him more defensively than anything. Moon regards him with an impassive arched eyebrow. "You saw what you saw. You remember what that dude said, didn't you?"

"Y-Yes."

"Good." Moon nods. "Knowing them, my friends will come by later. I want you to tell them what you just heard, word by word, and send them to Zeffarei. I don't have time to wait for them, I gotta go, and _pronto_."

Moon brushes past the guard and into the silent corridor of the castle. It seems like there will be nobody to disturb her departure– at least, not the guy behind her, looking at her with trembling eyes. Bits of incomplete words quiver in his throat, but none make it out of his mouth.

Disregarding the blood coating her clothes, she turns to him. "Take me to the main entrance of this place. I said I wanted to leave like normal people do, and I'm not gonna back off from that."

"Y-Yes. This way."

They rush down the hallways of the castle, with the assassin being keenly aware that with every step she slows down, she's running out of time. She has to rescue Lillie and get her out of there, very mindful that not only is a whole Empire's safety at stake, but the goals and life of somebody she holds dear.

Moon has finally carved herself a home in this world– and nobody can tarnish that anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LUSAMINE WAS EVIL ALL ALONG AND IT WAS KINDA LOWKEY IN THE BACKGROUND AND NOW WE HAVE A MAJOR APOCALYPSE COMING see what i meant when I said shit was going down and I don't know how to express my joy over this majot plotpoint surfacing so I'll resort to screaming
> 
> Imagine going to a place as nice as the Aedus Empire and it's suddenly revealed that it's purposefully designed to be pretty to be deceiving :( it's such a pretty pleace pls Lusamine stop being insane in one series ily ok /evil laughter
> 
> we got Moon kicking some ass and then having her ass kicked and oh boy if you thought Moon's kidnapping was gonna be an issue WE GOT A MADWOMAN TRYING TO MURDER HER OWN CHILD AND END THE WORLD PLEASE SEND RECRUITS /SQUATS AND HIDES LET GO OF YOUR CHILD PLEASE LILLIE DID NOTHING WRONG
> 
> YES I'M LOSING MY SHIT OVER IT IN THE NOTES EVEN THOUGH I KNOW HOW IT'S GONNA END I need counseling AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH IM EXCITED
> 
> Gladion is gonna FREAK THE FUCK OUT when he realizes that his possible family is just as fucked as his makeshift one back in Ludwig Town I--
> 
> and we still ain't done no no /sips water


	17. Mandate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion and Hau come to Moon and Lillie's rescue, only to find out everyone is too late to the party.

Arriving at Reikyuu is the easiest part this time, no matter the myriad of guards awaiting their arrival at the outskirts of the town. However, these guards are not as firm as the ones back in Bleakdross– they are fidgety, nervous, and some of them run away at the sight of the two men plunging through the masses in their search for Moon.

The preparation and formations all around them speak volumes: they had been expected.

Gladion and Hau are diving right into the wolf's den, but there is no wolf to be seen. All of the wolf's little grunts are scrambling into Reikyuu as they reach the city, yet one of them is promptly grabbed by Hau and pinned into the sands of the desert. The force he pushes the soldier down with is unbecoming of a man as kind as Hau.

Pushing the soldier up to where Hau can glare at him, he puts up a tough façade. "Where's Moon?"

"Moon!? Who are you–"

"Don't play dumb with us," says Gladion, glowering at the soldier. His posture is eerily calm, contrasting with Hau's wrinkled expression of anger – all of it a fabrication, and a bad one at that. "Your boss has taken her away. She's your hostage, a wanted assassin. Tell us where you have taken her."

But the soldier continues scrambling for excuses, for lies, panicking further as Hau holds him closer and his face is distorted in all too false anger. It's extreme and very artificial, very probably picking bits and pieces from Moon's acts over the months and concentrating it all into this gruesome act of menace. At least Gladion doesn't need to scream to look threatening– he's been perfecting the look all these years.

The soldier's eyes widen in realization. He raises a shaky finger to the desert again, to the east of Reikyuu and where no ruins stand out in the void. "I-If the Emperor has ta-taken somebody as a hostage, she should be in the holiday castle. That's where everyone is taken before a-an execution."

"Are you sure about that, eh?" asks Hau. His voice is like gravel to the ear.

"There is no place in Reikyuu for criminals of such caliber– I believe you– you are talking about that assassin girl, right? The one with the short black hair?"

The more they stand goofing around like this, the more impatient Gladion gets. They still need to retrieve the talisman from the Orchard of Souls and head back to Zeffarei, and the walk back to the capital won't be exactly short. They still need to figure out how to make it back to the Aedus Empire now that they have been spotted both in Bleakdross and now in Reikyuu. Without Moon with them, things will be harder than they need to be.

Gladion hates to admit she's a core part of their group of three. And he can't work without her by his side so he can make sure she won't commit any more crimes again.

Why does he feel she already has, wherever she is?

Goddammit.

"That's her! We gotta get to her, and you better not be lyin' or I'll come back and punch the living lights outta ya'!"

And that's about enough violence from Hau for today. Gladion grabs the back of Hau's shirt and blankly drags him away, even as the sorcerer keeps hissing and putting up the act. "That will suffice. You did _not_ need to be that harsh on him. You seemed another person entirely."

When they have walked far enough for the soldier to be lost in the dunes and sandy winds, Hau's shadowed expression melts into a light smile, resembling Moon in more ways than one: from the happy skip to the curl of his lips, the blissfully closed eyes and how he hums to himself in satisfaction at a well-done task.

"I felt badass, not gonna lie. Gotta say I don't like putting so much energy into bein' angry or faking it. Don't let me do that again, please."

Gladion combs a hand through his bangs. "You are the one who insisted on acting tough. It doesn't suit you at all."

Pouting, Hau nudges him with his elbow. "Dude, are you calling me weak?"

"No, I'm just saying you are not easy to anger, I guess," mutters the other, looking ahead of them and into the infinite desert and blatantly dismissing Hau's happy grin at Gladion's indirect compliment. Arceus, he hates being read like this. "I think I can see the palace from here."

They stand atop a dune in what seems to be the middle of the desert. Their feet are sinking into the thin golden sand, dragging them down and turning their frantic pacing into mere wading through the deeps of the dry lands. However, under the clear sky and through the rough winds of the Sandlands, there is a mirage of green, gray and golden, almost like a paradise in the harshness of the desert.

Hau celebrates this discovery. "Dude, neat! That's gotta be where Moon is, right? They sure took her somewhere safe– there's no way anyone in their right mind would go there."

"No one but us," corrects Gladion bitterly, beginning to walk down the dune– well, letting his feet carry him down without as much of an effort on his part. "Let's get this over with already. Hopefully, she will be fine."

"I bet she will! It ain't like Moon to let herself be trapped like a lil' mouse!" says Hau excitedly, rushing ahead of Gladion and walking backward to catch the glint of focus in Gladion's visible eye. "D'you think she'll have beaten all those guys' asses? I'd _die_ to see that!"

Resigned, Gladion squares his jaw. "Should I be worried about you encouraging her criminal deeds like that?"

"I just wanna see a good fight! Don't blame me, blame her!"

The discussion doesn't go on for much longer, because something comes into view that slows their conversation down to trailed off slurs. Green turns gruesome red, golden turns into brown and the palm trees that grace the view are bowing over the violent spectacle of bodies spread all across the main court leading to the 'holiday castle', as the soldier had put it– but this does not look like a holiday facility at all.

If anything, it looks like hell on earth. Gladion's breathing turns jagged, difficult. "What in the world happened here!?"

Hau takes a step back as his eyes feast on the show before them. "D-Dude… are they all…? If they're all like this, maybe did Moon do this? She wouldn't, right?"

Not this much. Both of them know Moon is an assassin and has trained herself to kill if needed, but she would never go this far, Gladion is sure of that much. She's violent, crazy strong and reckless, but not a mass murderer when all she could have done is flee to safety.

Something has gone terribly wrong here; he can feel it in the air, in the sepulchral silence permeating the thick desert air– and without Moon jumping around to welcome them, he wonders if she could have gotten involved in this mess too, somehow.

"Let's get in. Moon might be there," says Gladion, obtaining a nod from Hau as he dashes off and into the castle, jumping over the sea of fallen soldiers with practiced ease. "I don't like none of this. It _reeks_."

"Dude, it totally does," Hau agrees, surprisingly able to keep up with Hau as he makes larger leaps across the path. "Do you think Moon–?"

"She will be fine," Gladion assures him, but it doesn't sound as certain as it usually would. "I would believe she did all of… _this_ before believing she's weeping because of some cuts in a corner of the castle. She has survived far more than what's acceptable for a human being."

Perplexed, Hau's right eyebrow twitches. "Did you mean _normal person_?"

"... I said what I said."

His heart thumps within his chest, and the everlasting frown creasing his eyes never falters. _It can't be, right_? he thinks, over and over.

The first sign of bad news is that there are more bodies to be found in the throne room of the castle, albeit they are spread more ceremoniously around the ample space. The color of blood takes his attention away from anything else, the color too rich and too _recent_. He can still smell the heavy aftermath of a war in the air.

However, much to their relief, they hear noises coming from one of the upper floors in the building. Hau turns to Gladion, pointing in that direction. "D'ya hear that? I think somebody's getting a hard beating. I can almost hear the bones cracking."

"No need to be so graphic," Gladion says in a perfect deadpan, looking in that direction. One soldier is hanging from the railing of that corridor. A sight not meant for him to see. "Let's be silent here– if a soldier notices us, then they might bring their squad with them, and I don't wish to add more bodies to this pile."

Reaching the top of the castle is easy, considering everything is hauntingly devoid of life. The sounds of thumping and the occasional grunts of pain fill the silence along with indistinct talking between the hits and crashes of furniture. Whoever is there must be making a mess of the room, and Gladion doesn't know if that's good or bad, but he sets out to be optimistic and pray that Moon hasn't gotten herself – or them three as a group – in trouble.

They are close to the room when they pick up the clear soprano of a woman, but the voice is long gone when they reach the chamber, along with the body encasing it. All that's left are more bodies, crushed tables, closets, and a broken window.

"H-Hey, you two."

Gladion and Hau turn to see a soldier weakly reaching out for them, scratched from head to toe with a stream of blood covering half his face. Hau instantly kicks into action and kneels before the guy; Gladion thinks he might heal the soldier, but instead he's grabbing him by the collar again and reeling a groan out of his friend's throat.

"You've seen our friend Moon, right!? Tell us where she is already!" shouts Hau, "if you guys have done somethin' to her, we're gonna pound the living lights outta you!"

The soldier, unlike the rest, grabs Hau's wrist and grunts a curse. "That woman– Moon, right? She left hours ago. She's fine."

She had _left_? What's the meaning of this? If Moon is gone, where in the world has she gone to? Gladion and Hau share a look of suspicion, and the sorcerer doesn't hesitate to raise his fist in a silent threat to make the man elaborate, which he immediately rushes to.

"An urgent situation has… arisen in Zeffarei. She told me to tell you to go there as soon as you get here." A pause to breathe. "Apparently, the Empress is about to… to…"

The soldier's words trail off as a grimace takes over his visage, pained and attempting to breathe, to stay conscious, to continue talking; but Hau grows impatient – his hands shake, is that panic, fear? – and grabs him tighter. "Go on!"

"The Empress is about to open a portal to the Dark Realm using the chi of her daughter– she wants to– wants to cover it all in shadows." Both warrior's eyes are pried wide, lips parting in disbelief at this. "That woman has rushed to Zeffarei to save the Princess, and she said you two must–"

"Ah, there you two are."

A voice comes from the threshold, and still spellbound by the news, they turn slowly to see their new companion, holding their breaths. In his head, thoughts going a thousand miles per hour, he wonders if it will be a villain or an aid; an enemy, perhaps? Maybe a new friend?

What he sees instead of any of that is a little girl, barefoot, wearing rags and smiling at them sweetly. "Happy to see you two made it here." The girl walks around them and leans in to look at the knocked down guard. "The Emperor doesn't even spare his people, eh? I guess even Giratina ate its own kids." The girl's eyes turn to them again. "I suppose this guy gave you the news, then?"

"Well, sorta!" exclaims Hau, all but happy about this and getting on his feet to interrogate this girl next. Gladion thinks she might be about eleven years old and could have simply stumbled with this scene. "What is that dude talking about, eh!? What does he mean by–"

"There's no time for that now," says the girl, dismissively waving her hand. The smile disappears and is replaced by a frown. "You have to come to Zeffarei with me, I'll take you super quick, but we gotta hurry! There's no time to lose, things have gotten out of control!"

"Hold on!" Gladion shouts as the girl turns from them and takes a couple of steps deeper into the room, nonchalantly avoiding walking into the corpses. "What's going on!? Who are you? How can we trust you to not–"

With a couple of hand signs, arm movements and a quiet yelp, a burst of energy pulses through the air like a star, and a portal rips itself open in front of her, pushing wind against her purple air and wailing like a ghost. Hau and Gladion stare in silence as she turns to them slowly.

Her smile has widened into a grin so big the sight will haunt them both forever.

"The name is Acerola." She says, nodding her head in the direction of the portal. "And we gotta get going! Just jump in and follow me!"

The ease with which she convinces them is frightening, but in a situation as seemingly heavy as this and with the promise of an explanation at the other side of the portal, Gladion knows they have no other option but to comply. Hau seems just as lost as him, so he finds comfort in knowing that much.

* * *

The situation, indeed, is bad.

_Very bad._

It's terrible, catastrophic, mind-blowingly terrifying.

When Gladion takes a step into Zeffarei and the portal zips out of existence, the first thing he notices is that there is _no_ sun. The sky has turned dark and a dark fog has fallen in the capital, monsters taking over every space he can see of land. The once verdant grass is churned with dark chi, the waters in the fountain no longer flow and what used to be a capital with sunshine, flowers, and warm temperatures has turned cold, dark and cursed with this sea of monsters taking over the city.

The portal stands at a tucked area of the capital at the end of the main street. From there, he can see the park that once held crystalline waters and cherry trees, now overtaken by dark-skinned alligators and fiends. The street before him is full of monsters fighting with defenseless Aedus soldiers, screams ringing through the fervor of the battlefield.

Around him, however, stand a group of familiar figures that he's seen before: a small girl with farm-like clothes, a woman with a sultry smile and sun-kissed skin, the little girl from earlier, Kukui–

And the oversaturated, oddly nostalgic mix of spices wafting all around them.

"It's you!" Hau points out, earning a nod from the monk. "What are you doing here!? And what the hell has happened to Zeffarei!?"

"Hello to you too, Hau. I wish we wouldn't have met again in a situation this ugly but… that's what happens when you hand so much power to one single woman. Things get sticky," Kukui explains. Even in the direness of the situation, his jacket is not properly on. "I believe Acerola has explained the details, hasn't she?"

"Not really," Gladion mumbles, hands on his hips. "And considering that we still don't know where Moon has run to and what the _fuck_ has happened here, we would appreciate clearer explanations… and also some clearance on who all these people are."

Hau nods along to this vigorously. His face is as flat and expressionless as paper.

"These people around you are my friends." Kukui motions around him. "Fellow Saint Riftwalkers, and I believe you might have met a few of them before– but that can wait. We detected a strong surge of dark chi coming towards Zeffarei and we stumbled into this mess. The palace has closed its doors and everything is being heavily guarded by fiends and monsters. It will be near impossible to get close to the Empress in this state."

"So… it's true, then?" asks the sorcerer very quietly, his hands turned into fists. "The Empress wants to open a portal to the Dark Realm?"

"We're not sure why, but that's what guards have informed us of. She has also taken the Princess with her, and the two of them are currently in the Nenuphar Pavilion." Hearing this, Hau lets out a long growl of frustration. "Lusamine has called upon this army of fiends to protect her purposes, but it's near impossible to tear through them. They keep coming and coming."

Gladion balls his hands into fists. In his twenty-one years of life, he's been betrayed a handful of times: be it lies, be it unkept promises, be it whatever, but the amount of faith he had had for this Empire had been enormous. Though, compared to the clusterfuck of the Kandrus Empire, the standards have always been pretty low.

Now, however, seeing this mess and the wicked aims of Lusamine, his blood boils: not only because she had lied to them with sweet fake words and played her cards _too damn well_ , but because she's dragged her daughter into this mess; in fact, he would dare say Lillie has been trained _just for this sole purpose_ : to serve the Empress and her ambitions.

Ambitions that would make of Zeffarei – and probably this entire Realm – a lair for the fiends to feast in.

Their silence invites Kukui to continue speaking. A hand under his chin, the monk kung-fu master sighs. "Moon arrived a bit ago, but she didn't even stop to take a breather and instantly took to the palace, so I assume she must know about the situation."

"In the palace!?" asks Hau, too surprised for his own good. "Didn't ya' just say that zone is kinda off-limits now?"

"Nothing is ever off-limits for her," grunts Gladion, both angry and frustrated that she hasn't stopped to think that she might _die_ in there; but, at the same time, he knows she will manage, so he shuts up for now. "But at least we know where she is now. I guess she's trying to rescue the Princess."

"I can't believe the Empress would kidnap her own daughter! We gotta rescue Lillie!" demands Hau, turning to the saints with urgency. "Can't you help us? If we don't stop that woman, not only will Lillie–" a hiccup of emotion. "If we don't stop her, the whole Dominion is gonna get destroyed– no, maybe the whole region! The continent, even! We gotta do something!"

Gladion expects an exuberant positive to this reasonable request, and then a bit of planning– but they get something else. This time, it's the little girl with the farm-wear who talks. "Our powers as saints are not fit to carry out this task– not because we lack the power, but because our collective abilities will not suffice. Granted, we can defeat fiends with ease, but they will spring back up just as quickly. We will not fare well for this kind of task."

Hau blinks in surprise and horror. "Hapu is right," agrees Kukui, face grim. "It's a matter of efficiency rather than ability. We'll need more of a sweep to get rid of the barrier of monsters piling at the gates of the palace. We can fight the individual fiends and close the sources of dark chi, but that won't help the bigger problem, which is the Empress."

A sigh escapes Gladion. Right, Lusamine. The Empress. Who could be his mother. At least he hasn't had time to come to love her, so that will be a plus when they get to take her off her high horse.

"As it stands, it will be impossible to get into the Nenuphar Pavilion. Moon might get in because she is… rather quick and sneaky, but the rest of us will have to burst through. Still, we need to hurry," Kukui explains. He tugs at the hem of his own jacket, thoughtful. "I'm sure Moon will be fine, or at least I hope, but Lil–"

A shadow flashes away from the shelter and takes to the street at a staggering speed, but only after his presence is gone from his side does Gladion realize that it's _Hau_ who has disappeared, and he has no option but to follow him, whatever his objective is. Hau is dashing through the straight street, eyes on the end of it.

In the meantime, Gladion slashes all the beasts on his way with simple slices of his sword. "What are you doing!? Have you gone insane!?"

"Lillie and Moon could be in danger! I once said that I would stop cowering, and that's exactly what I'm gonna do!"

"There's a difference between being a coward and heading right into madness without any plans!" insists Gladion with a hiss, his voice barely audible through the wails of fiends and guards mixed together. "Do you even know what to do!?"

"Dude, of course not! But waitin' around ain't gonna do a thing!" yells Hau back, reaching behind him to take out his staff. Both jump to either side of a big hole on the ground, leaping back on track afterward. "We can't afford being slow now! Not everything is about planning and strategy!"

"You are using Moon's logic now!"

"Maybe I am because she's damn right sometimes!" Frowning, Hau makes a sharp turn and takes to the main gates of the palace, where the stairs are covered with fiends wanting to get into the palace. "If you wanna wait around and strategize, go back! But I'm not gonna stand around and wait anymore! We don't have time for that!"

Deep down, Gladion knows Hau is being perfectly reasonable– crazy reckless, too, but he has a point. Things being planned out will always allow him to have a main strategy to follow, so he can leave small fixes up to his instinct. It's a matter of being tidy and organized, but this war has none of that, and probably keeping himself in his lines won't help.

These fiends are not predictable human beings, but beings of dark chi, raw and alive. There's always a first time for everything.

"What are you going to do about _that_ , though?" asks Gladion, ready to go fight them if Hau tells him to, but something in Hau's stance tells him he has no plans to involve him in this.

"The saints said we gotta burst through, right!? Hau gets to his knees, then presses a hand on the pavement ground and a light flashes under his feet. "That's exactly what imma' do!"

A swirl of ice spirals out from under his feet, completely out of control and gaining momentum. Hau's magic has always been quiet but shiny, powerful but poised– this, however, is _angry_ , determined, aimed to a goal much bigger than what a regular sorcerer could swallow.

The ice hisses under Hau and brings him to his feet again, where he sweeps the air with his staff and aims the ice straight towards the palace, where it begins to escalate and pile onto itself- A barrier of spikes of ice strikes right into the wall of fiends and freezes them, causing a rumbling noise coming from the palace's walls as the ice impacts with the building.

And with another swipe, the barrier shatters to pieces and the fiends are destroyed as well, but Gladion is already jumping into the now few rushing fiends to get them out of the way. "Gladion!"

"I got it!" the other screams, aiming his sword towards a big fiend while falling in its direction. He strikes it swiftly and jumps away to avoid the burst of dark chi from such big creature, and rushes upstairs as Hau joins him. "Stand behind me, I'll take care of the rest!"

Nodding, Hau gets behind him and ducks down just in time for Gladion to look up and see a fiend jumping in his direction from up the stairs, which Gladion gets rid of with an upwards strike of his sword. Most of these fiends are easy to defeat, much like the ones in Bleakdross, but they know they are not done with this yet.

Entering the throne room, the incoming beasts take notice of the invasion of the warriors and advance towards them, yet Hau has already leaped up and fired a blast of fire towards them. Gladion ducks to avoid the fire and slices one fiend into halves, then strikes another in the head and jumps over it to continue their running.

"The Nenuphar Pavilion– we gotta find it!" yells Hau, using his staff to swat away a fiend that Gladion takes care of immediately. "Right or left?"

"Right!" screams Gladion, much to Hau's surprise. "I think that might be where it is! Most fiends are coming from that direction!"

Much to Gladion's delight, his adrenaline-fueled hypothesis had been right. There is noise coming from that side, as well as the decreasing amount of monsters as Gladion gets rid of them while Hau watches out for his back, firing blasts of fire and ice left and right. At one point, Hau seems to predict where Gladion is headed and shoves him out of the way, stomping his feet on the ground so a spike of wood runs up and uses the fiend before them to kick the door open.

Hau is _angry_. And pushy. "In a hurry much?"

"I could tell you the same. You're runnin' wild, dude. It ain't like you."

"Adrenaline does that for you," Gladion comments, purposefully not letting on that it might be because he's _worried shitless_ that he might be behaving like this; but seeing the outcome of their dash, he can't complain.

The garden in front of them is empty, but the dark fog of purple and black has gotten particularly thick. The flowers that used to dot the area have become thorny and withered, and if Gladion focuses enough, both light and noises can be heard coming from the patio at the left and main exit of this garden, so he takes there without a single word being said.

They cross the garden, fight the thorny vines and jump into the Nenuphar Pavilion and are immediately made aware that they are late into the party.

Moon is crouching on the ground, supporting herself with a single hand, both daggers tight in her hands as she looks forward. Lusamine stands at the other end of the patio, her hand spread as an unconscious Princess hovers in a cloud of dark chi and lights, one that the Empress seems to be very proud of because she won't stop _smirking_.

Her smile grows in its arrogance as she sees them arrive. "What a pleasing surprise. More unwanted warriors barging into my den."

The assassin gasps and turns her head to see them approaching her, Gladion and Hau standing by her side. "You two! You're late!"

"And you were kidnapped!" yells Gladion back, "Next time try to not be taken hostage! And don't run off without us!" Moon accepts with a nod and stands up slowly. Gladion notices that she's terribly worn off. "What happened?"

"I got here too late," Moon spits out, her eyes darting from Lillie to Lusamine as the latter stands there, observing them. "She had already taken Lillie and she was halfway into… whatever this is," she admits, gulping and then panting for air. "I only managed to distract her. They don't call her the Grand Enchantress for nothing, I'll tell you that."

"Oh? So you are finally admitting my prowess, Moon? That is endearing of you, but if you expect that to change my plans, you are sorely mistaken," claims Lusamine, peering at them with her eyes a bit too wide, a bit too open, too expressive. "My Empire will become powerful like no other continent has ever seen, and I will summon the true Lord to aid me. Together, we will become the gods of this nation."

"That's a ridiculous idea!" Moon explains, and by how Lusamine shows no reaction, this must have been said before. "Why!? This Empire is powerful enough as it is!"

"This world is ridiculously small. Flawed. If I could sweep all the impurities away, then I would. A blank page, all washed in black and purity, as all things should be," she insists, then points a hand towards her daughter. "And she shall assist me in this goal. As soon as I finish transforming her chi, the transition will be complete. She has been a very obedient child, like she should be. If you young people left things up to adults like me, then the world would be much easier. You are just making things too hard– but do not fret, children, because the Dark Lord will have the decency of showing you where its powers lie."

"I do not think so, _Empress_."

A stab– not in the stomach, but the hand, causing the Empress to shriek and look behind her to find Captain Ilima shakily holding his sword, giving her a confident smirk. "You! How dare you stab your Empress!?"

"I believe we have not met, ma'am. My Empress would never backstab her own Empire," Ilima says confidently, then looking over her shoulder to the other three. "Gladion!"

The call for help is familiar, so Gladion gets ready, "Moon, take Lillie to safety. Hau and I will deal with the Empress!"

Moon nods in agreement and dashes away from view while Hau and Gladion charge into the offensive. Hau quickly charges a blast of fire in the direction of the Empress as she shakes off Ilima and kicks him to the side, but she's still able to protect herself easily– and Gladion is already behind her, sword pointed to her back until she raises her hand and an _impulse_ pushes him to the ground.

 _So that's the potential of dark chi, huh?_ He thinks to himself, rolling behind Ilima as they regroup, then attack again. Gladion has no idea where Moon has gone, but he's trying to stay away from Lillie to not hinder her.

The fight should be easier than this– the situation is ridiculous. She can shield herself from their attacks with the move of a hand and Hau's magic soon proves itself to be useless. He must have another idea in mind though, because he still keeps blasting at her protective layers while she dodges Gladion and Ilima as though they were kids trying to climb up her shirt for attention.

Gladion hears two familiar clinks of metal on metal and ducks, and exactly while Moon purposefully misses with her dagger and it brushes past Lusamine's chin, Ilima takes hold of it and stabs the Empress on the side with his sword, causing her to scream and then kick him off her side. Ilima dodges her kick and leaps away from her, his feet skidding against the ground until he's crouching right by Hau, where Moon has returned a second ago.

The Captain hands her the dagger. "You're late, too."

"Hm. A Captain has to figure his way through the lair of a snake this big. I'm sorry such a thing delayed me, though."

A clash of a sword. The metal digging into her other side and making Lusamine scream again, yet she does not fall or wail. With a swipe of her hand, Gladion is almost hit on the head– but he's seen that move before, and dodges it with a jump that takes him to his peers' side, where they stand in formation with their weapons out, ready to attack, fierce expressions sketched in their features.

Lusamine cups her sides. Beside her, the smoke effect around Lillie has faded to a dim fog, and the woman curses, _livid_ at the dent that those four had done in her flawless plans. "Gr! I am almost out of chi. And he's nowhere to be seen... but I will be fine! It is only a matter of time, after all! This is just a small delay."

A snap of her finger is all it takes for a portal to form behind her, a rip in the space that begins to draw her – and Lillie, much to the four's alarm – into the void. They float into it, wind pushing from the rip.

When the three make a move to follow her, Captain Ilima draws his arm out, stopping them.

"Next time we see each other, the world will be different, beautiful, and _mine_ ," Lusamine drawls out, embracing Lillie against her chest as they begin to disappear into the portal. "Maybe you will decide to join me and rule this world… farewell, warriors!"

The portal disappears with the Empress and the Princess in it, and all that is left is the silence of defeat hanging in the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /tap dances with a mic: we're reaching a Small Plot Resting Point Thus The Next Chapters Will Be A Little Tamer But It Will Soon Pick Up Again So You Can Take a Deep Breath It's Over For Now
> 
> HAU AND GLADION ARE WORRIED ABOUT MOON AND THEN THE SAINT RIFTWALKERS ARE HERE AND HAU DASHING INTO DANGER TO SAVE HIS FRIENDS I LOVE HIM SOOO MUCH AAAAH AND GLADION FOLLOWING HIM I-- AND LILLIE IS FLOATING IN A NEBBY NEBBY CLOUD OF DARKNESS IS SHE OK :( I loved this ending so so much bc it's so suspenseful and I LOVE writing Lusamineeee I love writing evil peopleee and her last words before fucking off to nowhere is probably my favorite pieces of dialogue ever
> 
> "Next time we see each other, the world will be different, beautiful, and mine." - Dude this turned out so Lusamine-ish I love it


	18. Dandelion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gladion, Hau and Moon learn the truth behind everything that's been happening. Amidst the chaos, Gladion bonds with his sworn rival.

"So, let me get this straight," begins Moon, sitting on one of the chairs in Ilima's office. "You guys are all Saint Riftwalkers."

A firm nod. "Yes."

" _All of you_ ," reiterates Gladion, standing behind Moon with his arms crossed.

Another nod. "Yeah."

"And you've been _following_ us!? Like, all this time?" That's Hau, sitting beside Moon on a chair of his own. Captain Ilima is very casually leaning against his desk, arms crossed. He has evidently missed out on this topic and has no idea what is going on, but Gladion is thankful for him lending them his office to talk.

The several saints scattered around the room exchange glances. Kukui sighs. "It was not as creepy as you guys are imagining it to be."

"Not gonna lie, it does sound kinda bad," slurs Moon, cheek on her palm. "Not bad _bad_. It just sounds weird. But I guess it was sorta useful considering you got these two to Zeffarei very quickly. That was nice."

Gladion and Hau give her a deadpan in response. Zeffarei had ended up destroyed by the invasion of fiends and monsters, but it had been stopped by the saints before any further damage could have been caused. All streets are broken and cracked everywhere, as well as at least half of the buildings within the city being damaged to some extent: be it broken windows, roofs, walls, and one or two victims that left their families too soon. The number of lethal victims was surprisingly low thanks to the rapid action of the Aedus Empire's army.

This army had never known about the Empress' intentions, and when the war broke out, Captain Ilima gathered them to fight while he found his way into the palace to deal with the problem directly. It had been thanks to that that the citizens of Zeffarei remained safe and defended and that the fiends didn't make it much further away from the city's walls. When the Saints closed the dark pulses and the war had ended, the other four exited the palace sustaining minor injuries.

Moon, on the other hand, had dealt with the worst after escaping her own kidnapping, rushing through the sea of fiends and buying time while the rest got to her side. When they were spotted by the authorities, Captain Ilima commanded his men to take care of the town, take account of as many victims has there had been. In the meantime, he had taken Gladion, Hau, Moon and the Saint Riftwalkers to Dawn Square Market, where all their wounds were taken care of.

Moon currently has a few bandages around her arms and one around her thigh, as well as one around her head that Gladion knows is pointless. When he had told her about this, she had simply said that 'it keeps my tough aesthetic alive, and bad men will know not to mess with me if they see that I survived a possible concussion'.

Put simply, she thinks it looks cool. Gladion is just too done with today to complain.

Captain Ilima had led them to his office, and Kukui had commanded his fellow Riftwalkers to keep watch outside the town. Acerola and Olivia are currently out, whereas Hapu has decided to stay in. Other Saint Riftwalkers are looking after other zones of the Aedus Empire for tonight.

"We would have explained the situation more calmly in Zeffarei if circumstances had allowed it," responds Hapu. "When we arrived at the capital, things were beyond our reach. Thankfully, the Captain dealt with it at an admirable speed. We still need to commend him for that."

"That still doesn't explain the part where you guys have been stalking us for… a while. I don't even wanna know for how long that's been happening," Moon sighs, crossing her arms and pressing her back against the back of her seat.

Kukui rubs the back of his neck. "That's a hot spot to put us in, but this is more of a habit for us Saint Riftwalkers. When we detect a source of trouble in the limits of this Realm, we just jump in and look for who's at the center of it all." He motions at the three of them. "And, surprise surprise, most of the time it was you three causing trouble for one reason or another."

"So you were following us because we were causing trouble?" Gladion's voice is edged, fully aware that most of the time that trouble was not caused by _him_ , but rather a certain complacent woman in front of him.

"Not really. If anything, we're always looking for people we could deem… _worthy_ of our future aid. Our blessings, and all that. It's hard to explain, but I'll try my best," admits Kukui. His eyes focus on Moon. "When the Karee Empire disappeared– sorry to mention it–"

"It's fine. I'm over it by now."

"Right. Ever since that happened, we've been looking for people we could consider allies, people who could be strong enough to protect this Realm. We're semi-divine figures, and we can only help once upon a time. Today was a very exclusive case." Kukui explains, his eyes panning from Moon to Gladion and Hau. "We have had our eyes on you three for a while. The circumstances you have been through have been… odd, for lack of a better word, and it just happens that whenever something happened in the Kandrus or Aedus Empire, any of you three were involved in it, either alone or together."

Hau winces. "So like, you were just attracted to us because we caused trouble?"

"Yes and no," answers Hapu now. "We were attracted to your potential as future protectors of this Realm. Your involvement in so many brawls and fights is extraordinary, more so the fact that you are still alive than anything else."

Gladion puts his hands on the back of Moon's chair and leans to a side to focus his eyes on her. "Yeah, we have had quite some close calls."

And she crosses her arms indignantly. Hau chuckles beside them. "What are you looking at me for? If you're looking for your chill, you should go try in another Realm."

Kukui clears his throat, interrupting the incoming banter. "In any case, when Moon was kidnapped, a courtesan from the royal palace alerted the guards that the Empress had taken the Princess away and locked themselves in the Nenuphar Pavilion. Shortly after, fiends began to invade Zeffarei, and that was when we arrived at the capital."

Hapu nods in agreement. It's still amazing to Gladion how a girl so small and young could appear so poised. "Indeed. We communicated with Acerola about this situation, who resides in Reikyuu. We sensed a disturbance in Moon's chi flow, and we suspected the Kandrus Empire had finally caught her," explains the girl with a certain chide to her words, causing Moon to puff her cheeks and look to her side. "Unable to leave Zeffarei in the situation it was, we told Acerola to find Moon and bring her here, only to find you two instead. Moon arrived at the capital shortly after."

Gladion is still confused about how Moon could have gotten to the capital so quickly. Her silence doesn't invite to ask her any questions, so he will do so later.

"I still can't believe this. It's insane," sighs Hau, rubbing his hands over his face, probably to keep himself either awake or calm. "First the Empress is a servant of the Dark Lord, whatever _that_ is, and then… Lillie is taken away? Is this even real?"

"That's a pretty good question." It's Moon who says this, turning to Ilima. She has willfully dismissed Hau's dismayed words. "You, Mister. Didn't you know _anything_ about this?"

The Captain spares a sincere lopsided smile in her direction. "I cannot say I was not suspicious, that is for sure. I have been very skeptical about the Empress and her intentions for quite some time, but I considered said suspicions to be unfounded. It was all a matter of perception and seeing things that did not add up, but I merely considered them to be my imagination."

Kukui arches an eyebrow. "What do you mean by _suspicions_?"

Captain Ilima turns from the saint to, much to Gladion's surprise, Moon. "Well, I noticed that the Empress began to create ties with people of… _doubtful_ origins, to give it a proper name. Though I believe these bonds were created a long time ago, these people began to visit the palace more often shortly after you three left Zeffarei. I could not say they were dubious just by their appearances, but they just didn't look like the kind of people the Empress would associate herself with."

Gladion frowns. "Blackring pirates?"

"Not at all. Their clothes were too elegant to be mere bandits from the sea." Ilima's eyes are contemplative on Moon's, who register no distinction towards this information. "I had seen them sparingly visiting the Empress, but I never made much of them– that is, until we explored that cave in the Lunaria Plains."

 _That_ 's when she realizes what he's talking about. "What do you mean?"

"When I saw those men in that chamber, I initially did not know who they were, but when I arrived at the garrison, I realized I had seen them before. I had no time to report that to you before your departure, sadly, but seeing how things unfolded today, it is safe to assume those dark chi spots you mentioned that day have to do with what we have seen in Zeffarei today."

Pensive, Moon nods. Kukui, however, is not satisfied. "What do you think about them?"

"About that group of people?" A nod. "It is too early to arrive at a conclusion, but it would not surprise me that the Empress had a line of people working for her to carry out her plans. They had a uniform, though, so I'm not sure if it could be any bigger than just a secret dark association. As I said, it might be too early to draw any definitive conclusions."

Silence falls in the room. Gladion digests the information slowly, calmly, gripping his forearms as he crosses them over his chest. After a minute, Ilima sighs.

"Also, her behavior with the Princess has never been… _motherly_ , at least from my point of view." Ilima's voice is thick and slow, careful and caught in his memory. "Miss Lillie would spend all her days studying books, carrying them from room to room under the Empress' watch. When I was appointed her bodyguard before Moon's arrival into duty, I saw her studying very complicated arts and spells that I doubt she understood."

Moon nods, mouth pinched. "Yeah. Lillie was always studying and meditating, too. At least, she did that when I was around."

"Oh, yes, I forgot to mention the meditation sessions. The Princess was never allowed outside the boundaries of the palace, and whenever she would express her desire to meet new people, the Empress would… lash out." His coughing implies something harsher than just _lashing out_ , but Gladion chooses not to ask for details. "I always had the nagging feeling that Miss Lillie was being _trained_ , rather than raised, but whenever I asked her about this, the Princess would insist that her mother was looking out for her future as the Empress of the Aedus."

"She said that to you, too?" Moon asks.

"Quite a few times. Alas, her convincement further made me discard my suspicions about this mysterious training, and after a while, I laid the case to rest and turned my eyes to the side. As much as I care for the Miss, I knew better than to pry and ask any further. I convinced myself that if I meddled any further, Miss Lillie could get into trouble," the Captain explains, sighing. "Seeing the true intentions of the Empress, such insistence on chi-gathering practices make much more sense. I wish I had seen it sooner."

"Well, you clearly _didn't_ help," mutters Hau, eyebrows pinched in distress before Moon slaps his shoulder and the expression lifts in surprise.

"Being a bodyguard to the Empress and the Princess means submitting yourself to her rules. Her house, her rules. If Ilima's guilty of this, then I sure am to blame, too," Moon bites her cheek, tapping her fingers against her forearm. "The Empress always makes sure to put up a candid appearance and look all nice and sweet, but only if you're a stranger. She knows the position she's in, and making people think she's evil would put her in a tight spot not only with the citizens of the Dominion, but the Kandrus Empire."

"The Kandrus Empire?" asks Hau, visage concerned. "Why them?"

"They are weaker than the Aedus Empire, but they would not hesitate to attack us in the name of the region's security if they knew about the intentions of the Empress," explains Ilima.

The assassin chuckles. "Concerned? The Kandrus Empire knows about all this. They just don't wanna bother themselves dealing with all this trash."

Ilima stares at her with an expression of pure shock. Hapu blinks at her, her already big eyes widening. "Well, that is certainly terrifying. Such nonchalance to a looming evil is unfitting of an Empire's leader."

"The Kandrus has its dirty plates to deal with, so it's easy to consider the Empress spotless and pure," comments Gladion, thoughtful.

"Yeah. She fooled me for the most part, but some stuff she said to Lillie creeped me out, and that says a lot. And poor Lillie knew _nothing_ about all this, all she wanted was to go out and see the world like a normal person would," Moon laments, letting out a heavy sigh. "This sucks. It just sucks."

Even in the sidelines as he is, Gladion agrees. He isn't linked to Lillie in any way other than the hypothetical bloodline they might share, but none of that is in paper; not like Moon's contractual obligation to protect her or Hau's very obvious attachment to the woman– girl? Lillie has always looked younger than to be called a woman, and her recent kidnapping doesn't make things any better.

Gladion can't help but feel guilty for not noticing that Lillie was too idle and too fidgety, that nobody in a healthy environment would be late at night in a library, alone, asking a stranger for experiences that she can only wish she had lived.

Except that Gladion might not be a stranger– he might be her big brother. And that makes things even worse.

"Where could she have taken Lillie?" asks Hau with a sigh, combing a hand through his hair. "The Empress could've gone anywhere, man. Are they even _alive_? Because they fucked off into a portal and I figure it ain't as easy as _detecting her chi as_ you guys can do, right?"

Hapu brings a hand under her chin. "Actually, it might be rather easy. The Empress attempted to open a gate to the Dark Realm, yet she did not have enough chi to go through with it. It is possible that her fight with Moon wore her out, and risking to create a rebound would be reckless from a woman as calculating as her."

"A rebound?" asks the Captain.

"Yeah," replies Hau, teeth grinding. "It's when you try to perform a spell you ain't prepared enough for, and it ends up hurting your body instead. Not pretty at all. It hurts a lot."

"Indeed. The Empress would not want to risk a physical injury during a challenging battle like it was, so it is safe to assume she's retired to a place close enough to travel quickly without spending too much chi, but also secluded so as to not be reached easily," explains Hapu. "The only place that meets such criteria would be the Moonreach Sanctuary."

"I've heard that name before, I think," Hau says, then turns to Moon. "You mentioned it, didn't you?"

Moon nods. "Remember that time that we almost died because Gladbag was busy falling off a cliff?"

" _Which you threw yourself into, as well_ ," mutters Gladion bitterly.

Her eyes turn briefly to Gladion, but before anything can come out of her point to spark another verbal war, Moon sighs– not necessarily defeated. She just sounds tired. "After that, you pointed at a very big mountain and said that you wanted to go there next time. That's where the sanctuary is."

"Well, rather than a mountain, people call it a peak," replies Hapu. "The Moonreach Sanctuary rests at the summit of that peak. It used to be the residence for multiple generations of Saint Riftwalkers, but it has been empty for several millennia now. It is also rumored that multiple legendary beasts have visited it in search of healing. Deities used to regard it as 'the peak of fortune'."

Gladion remembers having seen that place in a few books himself. Faba had included a few photos of that place in the volumes he would use for studying, but nowhere did it state that the sanctuary rested in the Aedus Empire.

Recalling both the view he got with Hau and Moon that day and his memories of the photos, Gladion becomes skeptical. "Isn't that a little high?"

"It's about half a mile high, so it's a challenge to reach it– but that's why it's so high. We should be fine, though– you guys got a pretty substantial amount of chi in those veins of yours," says Kukui with a cackle. It means to lighten the mood, but it sorts little to no effect. "We should set off tomorrow. I will take the three of you there. Unless Captain Ilima wants to come with us."

The Captain nods with a flat smile. "I would love to, but I will have to see if Zeffarei needs me. We do not know if a new menace could arise and threaten the capital again, so I might need to stay." Ilima turns to the three very tired warriors, his smile growing tender in understanding. "I am sure you will perform fantastically, however. I still wish you the best of luck, I assume the Empress will not be easy to defeat."

"Now that I think about it," interrupts Moon. "Can't we like, open a portal there or something? If Lusamine got there with one, then we should be able to do the same, right?"

Hapu shakes her head in dismay. "Sadly, it is not that easy. The Moonreach Peak has a magnetic field around it that nulls out any attempt to teleport there by regular means. However, the Empress has been making use of dark chi all along, so her means to get there defy all laws of the zone." The girl's expression becomes pensive, eyes drifting over the three, and then Captain Ilima. "Speaking of, maybe you should consider getting a chi cleanse. Dark chi could weaken you on your way up the mountain."

"Dude, who would've thought it?" Moon and Gladion turn to Hau, who is wearing a very drained wince of discomfort. "Hearing that I gotta kick an _Empress'_ ass is so weird."

"It is foreign, indeed. The idea of hurting the holy, untouchable Empress of the Aedus– ah, what a joke of a nickname, is it not?" asks the Captain, forlorn.

Moon, however, huffs in annoyance. "A _very_ bad joke. If I hear another one of those I'm gonna throw somebody out the window."

For the first time in what seems like forever, Gladion has to agree.

* * *

After the talk has been done and plans have been arranged, the Captain retires to his bed, as well as the Saint Riftwalkers after promising to keep watch while the warriors get their deserved rest. Hau yawns a big 'thank you', but as usual though, Moon declines the offer and claims she will be taking a walk to stretch her legs.

Gladion can't understand how somebody who just came from an abduction and a fight with the Grand Enchantress can be this restless, but Moon is _always_ restless so he doesn't give it more thought than necessary.

He returns to his bed, slave of his exhaustion. Ilima gives him the same room he had been resting in during his month-long coma, but Gladion is sure he did it unintendedly.

It's a very back-handed irony.

It comes to him that he's been traveling for maybe a month, perhaps a bit more– and now he's back exactly to where he had begun. The ceiling is just as blank as the walls and the bed itself, but the view out the window is much more gloomy and silent, but he finds it beautiful nonetheless.

The air coming from the night outside is fresh and much more relieving than any painkiller. Gladion finds himself resting at ease for the first time in a while.

But he can't sleep.

And he hates it.

Normally, he would just wait it out and sleep would come to him eventually. As much of a light sleeper as he is, there have been few nights where he's been wide awake for more than one hour, or so he estimates. Though, his current problem might have to do with the events to come in the following days and the nagging thought that perhaps he's not ready for any of this.

Gladion doesn't enjoy the lack of control over something as monumental as this. No matter the planning and all they have talked about, his distress over the subject perseveres like a rock within a crumbling sandcastle. It doesn't move, and the more he remains idle and silent, the heavier the stone becomes.

Kicking the covers off his body, he rises, walks from the bed and to the empty corridors. Everything is enshrouded in shadows and fortunate lights that cast ghost-like hazes of moonlight into the hallway, temperature warm and pleasant.

When he opens the door to the outside world, however, the fresh air of midnight welcomes him. There is absolutely nobody in the plaza either, giving him total freedom to walk and amble as he wishes. The idea of going to the plains for a while seems appetizing– in fact, there is nothing he would find more pleasant than the brush of the grass, the scent of the flowers, the infinity of those verdant, breezy meadows.

So, Gladion walks.

"Wide awake much, Gladbag?"

Yelping in surprise, Gladion turns his eyes to find Moon sitting on the roof of the cafeteria, one leg crossed over a dangling one and a snicker breezing past her grinning lips. She's bandaged all over but still retains that innate mischief of hers. Her silhouette is softly traced by the moonlight behind her, the satellite bearing her name shining in its full glory.

Gladion clicks his tongue. "And here I thought I would have one peaceful night for once."

"Ouch. And here I thought your edge would be a bit softer. Not even a few scratches can loosen you up, eh?"

"You're insufferable," he mutters, though the punch has very little frostbite to it. "I guess Hau must be sleeping."

"He clocked out like an owl," Moon chuckles, pressing her palms to the roof under her. "Barely reached the room. I think he was half asleep during the whole meeting. No exaggeration."

"As much as it pains me to say this, I believe you," he murmurs, causing her to laugh openly– but the noise is clearly thawed, a bit rough. "How come you're awake at this hour?"

"I'm not tired yet, you should know me by now," Moon remarks, and she isn't fully wrong. She even said she wouldn't be going to bed yet. "Besides… it's kinda hard to sleep after all that happened today, y'know. You should know a lot about that, Gladbug."

"Do you have to be this consistently annoying about that nickname?"

Her grin widens. "Only as long as it bothers you that much. I like the basic Gladbag much more, though. It's a classic, and _so_ elegant!"

"Hmph." Gladion shoves his hands into the pockets of his dark pants, treading onward and registering that she isn't moving. He doesn't need to turn around to know she's staring at him, her charcoal eyes burning against the crisp back of his neck. "Aren't you coming?"

The smirk vibrates through her chuckle. "Needing some company, Gladbag?"

He stops to process her words for one sole second before continuing. "... I swear to Arceus."

But he doesn't negate her statement, neither does he validate it. All he does is listen to her giggles and the sound of her shoes scraping on the ceiling, then on the parasols over the tables of the cafeteria – which he hears wobbling under her sturdy step – and then the ground. "Where are you going anyway? It's kinda late to go anywhere now, isn't it?"

"The plains right in front of this place are pretty silent, so I thought it would be a good idea to sit down there for a while," he explains, earning a nod of approval from her. "Haven't you been here before?"

"I have, but just for a bit. I sometimes came to report to Ilima, and other times it was for a quick snack. Me getting missions around here was rare," Moon explains, then lets out a chuckle. "Hau told me you were here after… _you know_. So I guess it was good I didn't drop by very often!"

Unlike other times, he shrugs the joke off. "What, would you have murdered me in my sleep?"

"Don't be ridiculous! It's not like me to be so unfair!" she exclaims, moving a digit left and right as she speaks. "There's no enjoyment in a fight that easy! Besides, every person and their mom knows that murdering someone in their sleep is the ultimate sin."

"No it isn't, and even if it was, I doubt that would hold you back."

Skipping ahead of him, Moon winks an eye at him, jogging towards the gate of the town. "Don't test me! I might put it into practice someday!"

The Lunaria Plains had looked breathtaking once in their hauntingly beautiful infinity and solitude, but there is something in the air tonight that makes them even prettier under his eyes. The moonlight seems to beam a bit brighter, the light zephyr feels slower under his hands and it smells like freshly cut grass. It might be that he's very sensitive to things as peaceful as these after a day as horrible as today.

Moon looks just as awed as he is, yet she expresses it much more loudly. "Look at that! I never thought the Lunaria Plains would be this big!"

Gladion nods. "I'm still surprised you have never been here. Ilima mentioned that you two had gone on a mission together around these parts, right?"

"Hm, yeah!" With that, her knees buckle and Moon's body falls on the grass, but before he can be alarmed about it, she's flipping herself to lie on her back, arms and legs spread. "We went to the west of Zeffarei, though. I think I only passed through these parts of the plains when I got off my ship."

"More like _jumped_ and _ran_ away from it, right?"

Gladion sits down on the meadow as Moon pouts at him, eyebrows sunken in childish annoyance. "You're _so_ funny, Gladbag. You're lucky I don't have my daggers with me right now, or I'd make a mess out of that hair."

"Do you really think we are in any state to spar?"

"Who said anything about sparring? What even is the notion of sparring when you can just go wild? A spar isn't a true fight!" she declares, maybe a bit too passionately, but the fervor dissolves very quickly, giving away how truly exhausted she is. "But yeah, I guess we're not in shape right now. The Empress kinda beat our asses. I can barely feel my legs, believe it or not."

That's when Gladion remembers he had something to ask her– something that's been at the back of his head the whole day. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

Moon turns her head to him. Her arms are bent under it. "Eh? Do you wanna play the questions game again?"

"I wouldn't be against it. It helped me sleep last time, so I guess it's worth giving it a shot again," Gladion admits. He's reluctant about giving Moon the tiniest bit of credit for _anything_ – lest it fuels her enormous confidence any further – but he guesses it can't be helped this time. "So I would like to take the first turn."

Moon is visibly confused by his eagerness, but she concedes him his wish regardless. "I… sure? What is it?"

"How did you escape from Reikyuu so quickly?" She had _not_ expected that, if her wide eyes are any proof of that. "When we arrived at the castle, one of the guards told us you had left just a few hours back– oh, and the place was _ransacked_ when we got there, as well."

"Aw, you guys came to rescue me? You're such a romantic gentleman, Gladbag."

"That was _not_ my point," he grumbles, putting a hand into his fringe. "And you have not answered my question. How were you so fast?"

Moon shrugs. "I'm not sure where you're coming from. I just… escaped, I guess. They put me in a room without bars and I could have just broken the window and left, but I remembered what you guys told me about the doors and being practical, so I wanted to look for the exit _properly_."

Gladion's expression becomes blank. "You used our piece of advice at the worst time possible."

"Still! I fought with some guards and looked around, y'know. The place was so pretty I wanted to find good stuff around there." Noticing alarm rising to his eyes, Moon rushes to explain. "I thought that we could use the money I got there to repair the ship and go back to Zeffarei! But I found nothing, and I got arrested again."

"How did you manage to get arrested _twice_?"

Moon grins at him, eyes twinkling under the moonlight. "By being insistent!"

"And very reckless!"

"It was fine! Those guys had nothing on me. They told me about the Empress and her plans and I just ran to the Empire." Gladion blinks at her, evidently at a loss of words. "Remember the bridge we crashed with?"

"Do you mean the one you made us deliberately sail into?"

"Yeah, that one!" Her lack of shame about the matter doesn't surprise him anymore. "I crossed it as well as I could. It was in shambles, but anything can be a bridge if you put enough imagination into it!"

Gladion supposes that makes a fair amount of sense– within Moon's range of rationality, at least. He also wants to ask about the blood party Hau and him had walked into, but by Acerola’s ambiguous wording back at Zeffarei, perhaps it had been an inside job when they heard Moon had fled. The reasons behind that escape him, but Moon has not made any further implications about being behind the massacre either. And that looks like something she would tell him about– maybe brag about, even.

Gladion sighs, and she turns to him. Her mouth parts, but whatever she's about to say dies as she purses her lips. However, her eyes suddenly brighten and she leans up, on her elbows. "Can I ask you something now? It's unrelated, but I gotta ask anyway."

One of his eyebrows lifts. "Should I be scared?"

"Not at all!" That's not exactly a warrant, but he takes what he can get. "Okay. Do you think Hau has the hots for Lillie?"

Gladion swears something in his brain shortcircuits, both at her light tone and the smile tugging at her lips when she mentions Lillie's name– a name that is right now in danger, somebody that is allegedly dear to her and that shouldn't have her name said in vain like this. Jokes like these in a situation this delicate are uncalled for, yet when he proceeds to tell her it's not a time to be gossiping, he finds something in her eyes that causes him to stop.

Call it experience, call it intuition after months of friendship, but there is a disruption in her usual giddiness that he had not expected to see. Her eyebrows are an inch lower than usual, her eyes are one degree dimmer and her smile does not shine as bright. She's tired, she's exhausted, and she's still awake, with him, _restless_.

Moon mentions Lillie's name in a present tense.

She still has hopes for her to be alright.

In a very Moon-ish and roundabout way, that could be her way of dealing with things as heavy as these. "What do you mean?"

Moon abruptly sits up look at him in the eye. She has grass blades in her hair. "C'mon! Hau has always been super attentive with Lillie, and I doubt it's just because she's the Princess!" With a finger under her chin, she tilts her head in another direction. "And I don't mean to say that just because he's worried about her he likes her– that's rubbish, but you have also seen the _spark_ between them, haven't you?"

"A spark?" Gladion says, almost mockingly. "I have no experience in that department, unfortunately for you and your matchmaking desires."

But, thinking back, he did feel like there was a very weird vibe between them. Maybe his senses had been dulled by all the banter he partook in with Moon on their way to the Solaris Monastery, but he had found it odd that they got along so well despite having met only hours ago– and now that he thinks about it, Hau had stared pretty hard at Lillie the first time he saw her.

In a way, that reaction had been reasonable. Lillie _is_ a pretty girl. In his memory, she wears adorable smiles, fair smooth skin, and hair as bright as sunlight. She screams delicacy that belies the amount of chi concentrated in her petite shape, exuding radiance everywhere she went. Lillie has the looks of an angel and the perfect behavior that only a trained cat would show.

And Moon…

When his eyes turn to her, he finds her puffing her lips and squeezing her cheeks together. "I can just imagine Hau being all dorky because he wants a lil' kiss from the Princess." When she lets go of her own face, only a shaky and breathy smile remains, melting into laughter. "If you can't imagine it, you must have zero imagination."

She's _cute_. Stupid. Very annoying. Moderately crazy. Grossly reckless. Brave. Maybe kind. Moderately cute, too.

Gladion chuckles, looking away from her. "Why the sudden interest in Hau's love life? Is being a wingman your second job?"

"Interest? Don't be ridiculous, love is boring!" Moon moans, throwing her arms up to lie back down again, her back now on the slope that Gladion is sitting on. "I never understood what all the fuss even is about. Though if I had to say what love is, I'd say it's exactly what Hau looks at Lillie with. Pure love."

Her eyes are closed, and her expression remains indignant as if offended, but he knows any form of offense in her visage is just a mirage. "You sure brag about knowing a lot about it despite it being boring."

Moon's eyes open again, narrowed in suspicion. "When did you develop that sass? That's not like you, Gladion."

"I'm not being sassy– I'm simply pointing out that you're being very contradicting."

He takes too much pleasure on the groan she lets out, as though she's finally tasting her own medicine.

"I mean, I don't really know much about that stuff. I've been traveling for too long to even consider whatever love is– it can't be better than finding a treasure or getting rid of a whole army of beasts!" Moon's lips take an upturn and she's suddenly humming. "Nothing beats that, ever! Well, maybe climbing up a mountain does– but nothing else!"

Gladion can't find it within himself to prove her wrong. His experience his just as lacking as hers, and while he has no right to tell her she's wrong, he's arguing with her for the sake of being antagonizing– something he knows he does _really_ well. Faba told him nothing about love, emotions and the like, so it's no wonder he's so stunted in a matter as trivial as that.

He can't tell if what Hau feels for Lillie could be love, because he can't read his mind or ask him– not right now when they have a situation this dire in their hands.

Just like the lightness and tranquility comes it _goes_. Gladion sighs.

"Now, you have been asking too many questions!" He hasn't, actually– he had asked one, then she had asked for his input on Hau and Lillie, and then he had asked another, and then she had asked one. "Can I ask something now?"

"It's _my_ turn, not yours," Gladion replies, rolling his neck as the happenings of today begin to pile on him. "Stop pouting. If we are going to play, then we have to be fair about the rules."

Moon gets up from the meadow, sitting to face him head-on. "You're lying! I bet you asked more questions than I did!" She releases a very fake sigh, rolling her eyes. "Are you so curious about me that you wanna know about good and almighty Moon? I bet you just wanna write a biography about my future as a hero, eh?"

"Who would ever want to write a book about you? They would instantly arrest you again!" he exclaims back, expression compressed in irritation.

Moon taunts him with a smirk, sitting closer so she can look him right in the eye. "And they would take you and Hau with me, my dear accomplice! The three of us gotta be together both in hell and heaven, that's just the way it is!"

Her grin brings even more vexation to his sourly pursed lips. "No it isn't, you're just being absurd," Gladion deadpans, staring right into her coal eyes, never one to back off from a challenge. "I could count and list off all your crimes, how did somebody like you make it to where you are?"

"Your weird fixation with my adventures is fascinating."

"How can you call straight-up murder an _adventure_? They kidnapped you."

"For things that nobody can prove under the name of science! Isn't that terrible?"

They stare into each other's eyes with the burning passion of verbal battle drawn all over their faces, enthralled and deep into their jabbing exchange, something so mutual that not even the constant irritation he feels when he's around her can save him from giving in. He's certain that if they had anything close to a weapon, they would be sparring already.

In their trance, they have failed to realize how close to another they are, noses nearly brushing.

Unblinking, he waits for her to continue while he thinks of a worthy quip, his usual annoyed expression undisrupted.

And suddenly, Moon _flinches_. She backs off with an uncomfortable expression written in her features, her nose slightly wrinkled. "What's wrong?"

" _Nothing_ ," she says too quickly, eyes darting to a point away from him. "I just feel weird. Like indigestion. I think whatever I ate earlier must have hurt my stomach or whatever," Moon brings a hand to her mouth. "I bet I'm allergic to your gross edge now. What a fatality."

Gladion's eyes turn stale, following her as she gets up. "Better for me. Hopefully you will bring less trouble to my side if you stay away."

Moon says nothing more and simply stares at him from above, hands on her hips. A grin has sketched herself across her face, filling her cheeks. "Hey, maybe I will finally get some nice time for myself! With you guys following me around, I can barely breathe!"

That does finally get him because such a confident assumption is almost outrageous to think about. "Nobody would stalk you. You are too all over the place for that nonsense to happen."

As she walks away from him and towards the gates, Moon chuckles a bubbly 'thank you!' that he tries to fight by yelling that it was _not_ a compliment, but she manages to fight it off with the sheer sound of her laughter. Thinking about it, between the muck and the tragedy with some craziness sprinkled on top, he's barely seen her smile at all.

She just makes no sense.

The thought of her smiling puts him at ease again.

And she will be the death of him someday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ilima and Moon discussing Lillie's situation and hinting at all the abuse she must have gone through was very fun to write because we get very little to see about those two. Lusamine and Lillie as a family are more of a subtext to be explored in the future and you'll see how we do that >:) But for now enjoy some Aether family angst. We're gonna follow that thread of plot in the next chapter in a very pleasing way. Next chapter is gonna be amazing in all sense of the word and the next one is gonna be /coughs
> 
> Moon: *flinches at the possibility of proximity and intimacy w Gladion*  
> Gladion: What's wrong  
> Moon: Nothing I'm just emotionally constipated I need a sec
> 
> Imagine having to climb a mountain (or a peak as Hapu the Boss says) to stop your mother from destroying the world. Dude your legs are gonna be so destroyed. Lusamine you gotta stop
> 
> I also love the fact that Gladion and Moon, sworn rivals and always at each other's throats, can just chill and lie down on a meadow for some bonding under the stars because they're tired and just emotionally exhausted #RivalryDualityIsTheBest
> 
> L O N A S H I P P I N G I S S T A R T I N G T O S A I L
> 
> Hey fun fact did you know that when I started planning this whole fic lona was originally gonna make out where Moon flinched? :) What a shame lmao the sexual tension shalln't be broketh


	19. Frost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Up a cold mountain, realizations and fateful promises are done. The latter is something he can only hope to keep.

In the end, Captain Ilima doesn't come with them. It's something Gladion had anticipated due to Ilima's unbreakable faith towards Zeffarei. The city is still recovering from the shock of the attack, and for the time being, Ilima has communicated that they won't issue an official statement about the conflict until Lusamine has been retrieved. The political situation in the Aedus Empire is shaky now, and a Captain's authority is exactly what the city needs.

Much to Gladion's surprise, none of the Saint Riftwalkers come along except for Kukui. As the monk had explained, they would be in the lookout for any further trouble and also investigating where all the dark chi surges had come from during the war. Saints and humankind working alongside each other this closely is rare, but it can't be helped.

"Acerola was pretty worked up about the issue. She might look like a kid, but she's got a crazy control over her chi," mentions Kukui as they walk through the forest on their way to the peak. "During a war, she summoned a giant phantom to protect one town, then sent a torrent of dark chi into the minds of the enemies to make them have nightmares. Pretty neat, right?"

Moon agrees with a nod– something so horrendous that only _she_ would smile so widely about. "Never knew Saint Riftwalkers could handle dark chi, though."

"It's not something we pick voluntarily. She likes knowing a bit about everything, and she's had to deal with dark chi for a while, ever since she was _very_ little. She's a tough kid."

"Okay, there's something I still ain't sure about," interjects Hau, "How old are you?"

"That's something rude to ask, Hau," states Gladion.

But Kukui, far from offended, laughs it off. "It's a perfectly fair question. Most of us are more than a hundred years old. When we were given our Saint status, we became immortal, but we retain the natural appearance of the age when we became Saints." The trio listens to this with different ranges of shock, all of them silent. "Unless you retire like Nanu did, then your body won't be affected by the passing of time."

Gladion can't help but be curious. "So it works like a blessing of some sort?"

"Kind of. It's more complicated than just a blessing. It's passed down from generation to generation most of the times, unless a deity directly intervenes– but that's very complicated." Kukui abruptly ends the topic there, and for once, Gladion is thankful. He'd rather discuss simpler things. "Oh, look at that! We're here!"

The Moonreach Peak is by far the tallest yet thinnest mountain Gladion has ever seen. It stands proud and tall beyond the clouds, covered by whitening leaves that turn stark and crisp the more he looks up. There is no snow anywhere, though, so the lack of color to the vegetation is something worth asking about. Everything is gray and lost in the distance. The path seems to ascend around the mountain rather than directly to the sanctuary, which makes Gladion slightly anxious. As slim as the mountain is, almost shaped like a pillar rather than the natural triangular mountain shape, the path looks tremendously long. He can't see the end of it from where he stands.

Moon whistles. "Damn. That's a Mister Mountain! Can't we just climb it?"

"You… wanna climb the _mountain_?" asks Hau with thick surprise, watching her rub her hands as she approaches the walls, crossing the beaten path up the mountain.

"How do you plan to _climb_ half a mile without proper gear, genius?"

Kukui is visibly surprised that Gladion had chalked up that difficulty to the lack of _gear_ , and not the human lack of strength to do that. Her determination to do something so stupidly impossible baffles him.

"With my bare, beautiful hands!" Moon exclaims, but doesn't try to climb up. "This is slippery. No mountain climber will be happy to hear this."

As she attempts to grab onto the wall again and slides down in defeat, Kukui arches an eyebrow. "When Olivia told me Moon was a handful, I had never expected her to be _this_ adventurous."

Moon hits the wall with her shoe, yet tries again. "Welcome to our sad, very crazy world," says Gladion dryly. "She has a knack for heights much like Hau loves malasadas."

The woman eventually goes back to them, hands draped around the straps of her backpack that Ilima had insisted on her carrying. Despite her inability to climb up the mountain, the bounce in her step prevails over _anything_ else. Gladion has his own theories as to why, which she proves right instantly. "This mountain might be impossible to climb, but I can tell there are gonna be great views from up there!"

"Not to mention the impending evil that is planning to take over the world," Gladion mutters sourly.

"Of course!" Which doesn't verify her awareness about the issue. He continues telling himself this is her way of dealing with things. "But one's gotta look at the bright side of things. No wonder you're frowning all the time, you're already getting wrinkles!"

"That's because you are robbing precious years of my precious life."

Moon murmurs something about ' _self-preservation freak_ ' and he almost loses it.

"The peak is nearly vertical, so we'll go upwards and around it," states Kukui calmly. "I'm a bit nervous about the weather, though, but there are caves to take shelter in. After all, this is supposed to be a divine trial for adventurers, but the Empress cheated her way up the whole deal. Whoever is watching over the peak won't be happy about this."

"Gotta ask, though, why are the trees white up there? I think I can see some of 'em from under here," asks Hau, squinting. Whatever he's seeing is something Gladion can't make out without his glasses. "Everything is super green around here."

"Could it be because the Empress' dark chi?" theorizes Moon.

Kukui, however, debunks that theory. "It's probably because of the magnetic field around the peak. It's been like that for as long as I can remember. Things work a little different here, and plants are no exception."

"That doesn't sound… ideal," says Gladion, clearly uncomfortable. The intimidating sight is certainly not helping his coiling anxiety about the ordeal waiting at the summit.

Surprisingly, Hau is the one to go forward first, a balled fist up in the air with chaotic cheerfulness brimming around him. "C'mon, let's get going! The last one to the summit is one of those ugly alligators at the Outpost!"

Indignant, Moon stalks behind him. "You're kidding! They weren't that bad!"

And Gladion is close after them. "Only you would think a monster that terrifying is cute."

"Don't tempt fate, Gladbag, a lil' push is all it takes for you to fall off!"

"You two, now's not the time to be bickerin'!"

Acerola might have had a hunch when she said Moon was worth watching over. Hapu might have been overzealous when she claimed Gladion sounded audacious. At least, Kukui knows that he had not been wrong when he said Hau could bring peace to a pack of wolves if he so desired.

* * *

"So, you met with Olivia. And Acerola."

"Yup!"

"Olivia _did your hair_ ," says Hau, incredulous. "And Acerola made you carry water around."

"You're making it sound ridiculous!"

Gladion sighs. "You had four Saint Riftwalkers, probably the most elite group of warriors in this realm, doing your hair and makeup. If that's not ridiculous, I don't know what is."

"I just stumbled with them! I had just gotten to Reikyuu and, _uh_ , got myself a dress," Gladion and Hau share a sigh of exasperation at the very blatant implication of, yet again, a crime, "and then I needed somebody to do my hair! If I wanted to seduce a rich guy, I needed to get all dolled up and nice, like those girls from the Emissary's Factory, the ones who danced around all pretty with the gorgeous dresses and the bracelets!"

"Olivia and Cynthia have always had lots of curiosity for the arts of make-up. Dawn isn't a Saint Riftwalker, though, she's just one of our maidens," Kukui corrects her. "They are still terrific women of the sword. Cynthia once trimmed my beard with her sword– that was terrifying."

Moon observes Kukui shudder at the memory, but it doesn't tarnish her glee. To Gladion, it feels like she lives in a constant state of ecstasy– except when she doesn't, of course, but her face is that of a charming curiosity and formidable experience. She's vast, almost too big for this world to handle. And for _himself_ to handle too, eyes rolling as Moon shoots another of her ideas back and forth.

"They made me all pretty and super elegant! I kinda had to put this very posh and Gladionesque accent to compliment the outfit but–"

Hau laughs. Gladion hisses. "What does that mean?"

"– but they made me look like a princess– no, a _courtesan_! Courtesans always look _so_ pretty and so dignified, I felt not only brave, but very beautiful!" Gladion is a hundred percent sure doesn't know the meaning of _courtesan_. Kukui's mouth gapes like a fish, then closes, whatever clarification for that matter dying in his throat. "If Cynthia and Olivia opened a business dedicated to that stuff, I bet they'd get _lots_ of customers!"

"Ain't they a bit busy watching over the whole Realm and stuff?" asks Hau sarcastically, but Moon shakes her head.

"There's always a bit of space for side-businesses! You just have _no_ business perspective!" Moon takes a leap forward and walks backward as she speaks, looking at the three. "Okay, storytime! You guys remember Wicke, right? Well, maybe you don't," Moon points at Kukui, who shakes his head in agreement, "so she used to work at the royal palace. I know, wow, ground-breaking–"

"You told us already!" grins Hau, hands behind his head. The path has gotten a bit rougher, but Moon's chatter keeps the exhaustion at bay. Gladion wonders if she's doing it on purpose.

"Right! So Wicke used to work there, as a doctor! And she one day said that she wanted to set up a small office or whatever the name is–"

" _Clinic_ ," Gladion corrects her.

"A clinic! Yeah. She wanted to set one of those up in the city, but she didn't enjoy dedicating herself only to that, so she started to cook! And she also tapped into pharmacy a lot, and that's when the side business of cooking took over the Bellossom Inn!" Moon skips over a stone, _backward_ , somehow. "I wanna ask her more about it but she's kinda secretive about all that happened during that time. Man, I guess transitioning from one business to another is kinda tough, eh?"

Before them is a split in the ground, separating the path into a lower level – the one they are standing on – and then a path a bit higher up, a gap in the middle that would lead to a pretty ugly concussion if one fell. To their left, a mild waterfall flows down to the forest, but it gets lost in the mist at the base of the mountain. It makes him realize how high they have climbed already, the water spraying on their ankles while Moon surveys this ridge with uncanny thoughtfulness.

"That looks like a problem," she ends up saying, hands falling to her hips.

"Woah, Moon, you're such a detective," Hau states, making Gladion chuckle– whether he had intended the sass to slip through or not, her face had been priceless. "Maybe I can try to float myself up? Or I could try to build a bridge or whatever–"

Much to the three's surprise and the perplexion of two of them, Moon has jumped up and is climbing up a very _not safe what the fuck_ stalagmite by the waterfall, graciously tossing herself to the other side and sticking her tongue out. "I'll be waiting at the summit, slowpokes. Have fun with your bridge."

Hau is not having it, however. "Yo! You could at least help us cross over!"

"How? With the magic hands and ropes I don't have?" Moon calls. Gladion can tell she's started to walk away without them.

So making use of his pride, his constant need to keep up with her and a curse from heaven, Gladion leaps to the edge of the path, very much overlooking the very steep fall under his feet, and he hoists himself up with a grunt of effort– because where Moon is graceful, perhaps he has muscles in his legs to keep up with that airhead of hers.

"You're insufferable!" yells Gladion, hearing Kukui clap his palms and excitedly follow his example, all while Hau squirms for them to wait up.

A crack erupts on the ground behind him, steps running up behind him as the bridge Hau had created up the step breaks. "You two are impossible! What if we fell?"

"Nah, I doubt that would have happened," says Kukui, who is very calmly walking with them. His eyes are glued to Moon's back, who walks forward while Gladion quickly catches up with her and proceeds to tell her off for her foolishness. "If anything, I'm surprised Gladion followed suit just like that."

"It's the Moon effect. If she tries to stomp on him, he'll try to stomp harder. They're like kids," Hau sighs, and then witnesses how Moon takes out one of her daggers and tosses it in the air while Gladion puts his hand on the handle of his sword, both inching closer as the threat of a brawl looms. "They'll be fine. Just gotta watch out for their competitive streak not getting too–"

A pebble hits Hau's nose, but before he can alert of an avalanche as he looks up, he witnesses steady pebbles of ice raining on them like little shards of rain, but frozen: it's beginning to hail, and Kukui looks nonchalant and complacent about this.

A few feet away from them, Gladion and Moon have stopped arguing. "Told you the weather's weird here. And it's only gonna get worse."

Moon raises a hand to the air. Gladion watches her intently. "I told you your edge would make it rain someday. Today was not the day to make the prophecy come true, Gladbag." Ignoring the subtle ire wrinkling his features, Moon turns to Kukui. "Are there any caves around here where we could take shelter? I don't wanna get to the Empress with my clothes all soggy and stuff."

"I think there's a cave a bit up ahead. Let's be quick on our feet so all this hail doesn't get in our shoes."

Gladion is the only one who has some sort of hood with him, as he had very wisely taken a jacket with a hood tucked inside. He had kept it tucked because the extra warmth on his neck is nice, even though he's aware that Kukui had been staring at it for _ages_ , probably dying to tuck it up as it should be.

Thus, he's the only one with some sort of protection, and when they make it into the cave, his hair is untouched. Moon had not brought her usual beanie with her this time, so there are beads of ice caught between her tresses that she's combing off with her fingers.

Hau has just the same issue, but all he resorts to doing is shake them off with a grin. "Woah, that's a storm! Never thought it'd hail today, it's not even winter!"

"The weather in the Moonreach Peak is near to impossible to predict, but it should calm down in a few minutes," Kukui looks around the entrance, nodding to himself afterward. "I'm gonna head out for a minute to check if the coast is clear ahead. Wouldn't wanna get ambushed by fiends."

Before they can say anything about the matter, though, Kukui has left the den with a wave of his hand. Gladion supposes this must be one of the icky parts of being a Saint Riftwalker: trouble never rests for authorities like him.

"Man, Kukui sure left fast. I hope he comes back soon," confesses Hau, teeth clenched as he looks around him. "Seems like there's nobody in here other than us, huh?"

"Do you mean within this very closed space of visible walls? Yep. It's all ours," Moon says as she lets herself fall to sit on the ground, and then falls backward to lie on the ground, one leg crossed over another and hands under her head. "If the Empress sends fiends after us in the middle of a hailstorm, I swear I'm not gonna have mercy on her. I love a good fight, but not if it's gonna be in a storm."

"Let's be clear here, though. Would ya' kill the Empress if you had the chance?"

Moon thinks about Hau's question for a moment. Gladion slips down and leans his back against a wall, sitting a few feet away from Moon and Hau, who is still standing. The cave is tall enough for them not to hit their heads with the ceiling, but the feeling of being jailed remains all the same.

"It would depend on whether she hurts Lillie for real or not. I assume she's already done nasty things to her, but when I saw her last time, she had no actual bruises on her. I don't have any fondness for her whatsoever," Moon explains. Then, her eyes shift to the blond, hands gesturing at him vaguely. "Even if… _you know_."

Gladion's eyes narrow on suspicion. Moon grins at him and her eyebrows wag.

"Can I make you a question?"

Her grin is reduced to a knowing smirk. "Of _course_."

"For how long have you known?" She arches an eyebrow for further explanation, but he can tell she knows very well what he's asking about. "That the Empress might be my mother."

Much to Gladion's surprise, this earth-shattering, mind-blowing and simply _shocking_ revelation doesn't faze Hau at all, who's just staring with a thin line as lips. When he feels Gladion's surprised eyes on him, he nods and smiles.

"Dude, it was so _obvious_. You and Lillie are like two drops of water."

Moon nods at this. "Yeah. When I arrived at the royal palace and saw both the Empress and Lillie I was like ' _oh, shit, look at this_ '. The resemblance was uncanny. Not to mention that the Empress has the _exact_ same way of glaring at people as you. It was fun to see a bit of Gladbag-ness in the head of an entire Empire."

Their firmness about this fact is both relieving and shocking. He has contemplated the idea of him being related to Lillie and Lusamine just by how similar he looks to them, but the differences in their personalities had been _abysmal_. Lillie seemed to be too bubbly to be related to him, yet Lusamine's sternness and visible rigidness had struck a chord within him.

It says a lot about how they see him– but by the way they're looking at him, expressions a tidbit soft, perhaps it's not that bad.

"It's like, totally weird," says Hau clumsily. "Our Gladbag is a member of _royalty_. He found his family and he's part of the freaking _royal family_!"

Hau says it as if he should be happy about this– which he is, but in a very weird way. He is aware that there are too many things in his mind for him to just sit down and realize that _holy shit_ , he's found his family. He had always rationalized that it would have been too easy for fate to put his family in a place so conveniently powerful and easy to find– seeing how things had gone down, though, rekindling his family won't be that easy.

Besides, it's not like anyone would believe him. He's spent too many nights in his room staring at that damned photograph of him with his mother and Lillie– _not_ Lillie, maybe – telling himself that it's impossible. He still needs valid proof.

"It's… still a theory. There could be a family somewhere out there–"

" _Gladion_ ," cuts in Hau, sinking to the ground to sit, legs crossed. "You're exactly like the Empress– like, well, without all the ' _I wanna destroy the world and wipe it all with my darkness look at my beautiful demons, blah blah_ ' spiel, but you two have this air of grandness and stuff that I just couldn't shake off the first day I saw them both. When I saw Lillie I legit freaked out because she looks even more similar to you than your mother does."

"Oh that's bullshit," comes Moon from his side, "you were totally staring at Lillie because she's pretty, don't come at me with that."

Hau lets out a sheepish giggle. "I mean… maybe. She _is_ very cute– but that ain't the point!" Moon wiggles her eyebrows in Gladion's direction, a smirk tracing her lips. "The thing is, Lillie might be a lot sweeter. And very nice. And I haven't heard her cuss a single time like ever–"

"Hau, you're digressing," interrupts Moon again, admittedly suggestive.

"– and your eyes, man. And you and Lillie and Lusamine are like, so _blond_ , dude, and so _pale_. I mean, Moon is sickly pale too, which I don't get because she's always out there doing whatever, but you two are just _identical_. Well, maybe she's a bit fairer, but she rarely goes out and you're always outside, so…"

"Also, my two coins on the matter," Gladion whips his eyes to Moon. Her dark eyes stare at the ceiling. "Lillie is much smarter than she looks. Sure, she's innocent and as squishy as a cotton ball, but she's just as witty as you. And you two are _always_ touching things when you get tense."

"What do you–"

"The way you got your hands in your pockets can't lie." He has them in his pockets now too, but in his defense, he's a bit cold. "You both also make a very particular face when you focus on something– like, you sink your eyebrows and pout a little. I bet Hau has noticed it as well."

"Not on Lillie, though Gladion just looks pissed when he does that. I mean, he looks pissed all the time, I don't know how you pull that off."

Gladion's shoulders twitch. "Being around you two helps a lot."

Moon does what she does best – ignoring him – and points a finger to the ceiling. "Lillie also has this horrible habit of messing with her hair when she's stressed."

"That's not damning evidence of _anything_."

"Okay," Moon takes a small pause, "what about the fact that half her family went missing like, ages ago? I don't know if she ever mentioned a big brother, but it could very well be true."

"The phrase ' _it could very well be true_ ' can apply to anything," he grumbles back.

Then, Moon throws her hands into the air. "But it applies to this! And I bet you know all this is true– deep within your small grumpy heart! You just gotta search well enough."

Hau coughs. "Gotta admit, though, it probably ain't the best time to talk about this. We still gotta figure a way to sorta convince the Empress that sending the Dark Lord to our Realm ain't the brightest idea. And also how to rescue Lillie…"

"Kukui told me earlier that the Empress will probably act tomorrow, when her chi's at her maximum," explains Moon, who has taken out one of her daggers and is staring at it very intently. Isn't that reminding her of the battle tomorrow? Isn't she scared shitless like Gladion very, very deeply is? "If anything, we gotta be quick to sneak into the sanctuary. That's gonna be pretty tough."

"Uh? Wait, we gotta _sneak_ in? Wasn't it like a refuge? Nobody's supposed to be there, right?"

"Not really, but Kukui mentioned that the sanctuary has a lineup of statues that the monks used to infuse with chi to create small armies." Great. Another thing against them; and Moon says it so nonchalantly it nearly doesn't feel as problematic as it should. "Y'know, in case another Lusamine attacked– yeah, the Terracotta Golurks. They infused the statues with chi and the Golurks would attack."

Hau taps his index on his chin, expression pinched in thought. "I think I heard that story before, but I thought it was just a legend. Aren't Golurks like ghosts or whatever?"

"Ghosts of soldiers, yeah," says Gladion, crossing his arms. "Whenever a soldier would die in battle in the Kandrus Empire, the monks would create clay dolls for each fallen soldier so the spirit could hold onto something from the Realm and continue protecting it, even if it was in the body of a small thing. They called them _Claydol_ , and younger soldiers would get some sort of clay peg-top shaped doll because the Kandrus Empire loves peg-tops, for whatever reason."

"Peg-tops? I don't think I ever played with any of those in my life. They're the toys that spin around on a small needle or something, right?"

Gladion nods at Hau. "Not a needle, but just a pointy end. They made dolls resembling that dynamic because kids love peg-tops. I think I even had one myself that my godfather gave me, but Arceus knows where that thing ended up."

Moon laughs at his story, and so does Hau, taking a small smirk out of him. She continues her explanation shortly after. "Kukui said we'd have to deal with them very probably, and also figure a way through the passages, but I guess that should be kinda easy."

"Of course, because your 'break the door, knock later' logic is still sailing, isn't it?"

Moon chuckles at Gladion's comment. "Don't even doubt it!"

"Then I hope you're ready to deal with the reparations of the sanctuary– it's still a sacred place!"

The three turn their heads to see Kukui standing there, too idle and too happy to have just arrived, so Gladion guesses he's been there for a while. The three had been so engrossed in their conversation that his presence never came to mind. Maybe, that's because Saint Riftwalkers are just _that_ reliable.

Gladion also realizes that the hail has gotten milder. "Let's get going. The coast is clear and we will need to sleep outside tonight. The sooner we leave, the earlier we will arrive at a resting point."

* * *

The resting point Kukui mentioned is not a point, neither is it meant for resting– at least, not as haphazardly as they are. They are relatively close to the Moonreach Sanctuary, so much so that Gladion can see it in the distance. He had expected the climb to take much more than this, but it had only been a few hours that, unbeknownst to him until now, had left his limbs sore.

The stairs to the sanctuary are surrounded by plateau-styled terrain, one level after the other, a stair smoothly rising at the middle, and white pine trees. Their makeshift camping site is Gladion sitting against the wall of one of these plateaus, working on the fire. Hau is close to passing out, curled into a blanket of his. Gladion still can't understand how it fits in his backpack so neatly. It's utter nonsense.

"I'm beaten up, dude. No more walking. I've had enough of that, I'm gonna be so sore tomorrow…" Hau grumbles against his pillow: his forearm. "Where did Moon and Kukui go? I kinda fell asleep for a bit."

Gladion hums. His eyes spark up in surprise when the wood ignites. "Moon has gone grab some wood, and Kukui is looking around to keep watch. Saint Riftwalkers need little to no sleep."

"He said that?"

"He did. You passed out right after he said it," he replies, watching Hau groan as he shifts and tries to find a decent posture to fall asleep with. "Good to know you are taking it easy. Last time we faced something this big, you were shaking."

Admittedly and much to Hau's credit, this might be about ten times bigger than the Blackring Outpost situation. Realizing that doesn't make things better in Gladion's already stormy head, and he sighs. He twists his shoulders and rolls his neck, waiting for Hau to answer as he tries to soothe all the tension in his body.

Soon enough, Hau sighs to himself– but it's not stressed. It's a noise of pleasure. "Can't be scared of everything all my life, y'know. We've done too much stuff together to be defeated now. That just ain't in my books anymore." His optimistic outlook causes Gladion's eyes to widen like saucers. Hau's eyes open to look at him, and he smiles contently. "I trust us three, really. We can do anything. We've proved that much to both ourselves and the world. We got this."

A pause for Gladion to take in his words. Do they make him feel better? Yeah. Are they realistic? Not much. And that's exactly what scares Gladion– the foolish certainty, the fact that he knows Hau is being truthful, but it all sounds too good to be true.

"That… certainly is a change for the better, I guess. Never thought I would hear you speak so confidently– not in a situation like this."

"That's what experience does to ya', man. You two have helped me out big time, so imma' do the same out there and have your backs." Hau closes his eyes and grins. "Moon and ya' are gonna have mine, so I'll have yours." Then, he turns his head so he's on his back, looking at the stars. "Moon told me that I had to find a reason to fight, and I guess I found it: I gotta protect not only you two, but Lillie, too. I also like this Dominion a lot, and I don't wanna see it all ugly like Bleakdross. I don't care what Moon says, that place is _creepy_."

Gladion chuckles. "You got a point." Then, he turns his eyes from the fire to him. "Thanks."

"What for, dude?" Realization flashes in his eyes and his grin turns mischievous. "Don't tell me you're–"

" _No_." A bit too quickly, maybe. A bit too harsh, definitely. "Just tense. There's a lot of responsibility on us."

"We'll be fine. We got Kukui with us, not to mention that we are badass as a group. We kicked her ass once, and we'll kick it twice."

 _Kicking her ass_ might have been used too liberally in that sentence, but Gladion decides to trust Hau this time.

It doesn't take long for him to fall asleep, but it takes Moon a few more minutes to come back from picking wood. She comes surprisingly full of logs of all sizes and textures, some with branches, and some just branches on their own. She's also gone out of her way to bring dry leaves to further fuel the fire. It's not necessary, but he keeps note of that worthless yet nice gesture.

"You went downtown with the wood, huh."

Moon sighs and drops the logs on the fire. Some roll to her feet and others burn and feed the small, humble fire. "I used all my remaining energies to take these. I had to fight a bear to get the big one."

She points at a particularly large log at the feet of the fire. He's skeptical about this. "You are surprisingly unscathed for a battle that fierce."

"Shut up, I'm tired as hell," Moon half-sighs again, half-moans. With a hand on the back of her neck, she sits down right next to Gladion. Her tension is noticeable just by the way she sits and speaks. "Also, do you have our blanket?"

"Do you mean the one you consistently mock me for? Or maybe the one you insist on owning?"

"That one," she says, rolling her eyes. The faintest of smiles shows up in her features. "Are you gonna use it?"

That presents two possibilities: one, that Moon is cold again and needs to use it, implying that they might have to share the blanket once again. The idea is not as uncomfortable as it once was, but it still implies certain proximity that he can't prevent being awkward for. Maybe in his current position and exhausted status he will numbly go through it like 'normal people do' like Faba would say so often.

The second possibility is him feigning that he's not cold right now, that the fire will be enough, and giving her the blanket for herself.

He could also _not_ give her the blanket but he's well over being a jerk to her. She's too insistent.

"I… maybe." He goes with neither.

Moon gives him an odd look. From this close, he can make out the faintest of drying cuts on her cheek and count her dark eyelashes. "Would sharing be that bad? You're shivering."

The tease is there, clear as day. Her mouth has turned upwards at the corners and her eyes are crinkled– dull, yeah, and a bit red around the edges. It's like the prior night they had shared on repeat, except there is no greenery or vastness to enhance her features. It's just Moon on the flesh, grime caked on her neck and skin dry under the adverse conditions of the Moonreach Peak.

Gladion wordlessly reaches for his backpack, unfolds the blanket and pulls it over the two, letting Moon yank for her portion of it as usual.

"Scared?" Gladion's head turns to her. "You're tense as hell. And very fidgety."

"I'm _not_ scared." Her instant reaction, unlike Hau's, is an arched eyebrow, full of disbelief and calling him a liar with one swipe of her eyes. He defensively grabs some of the blanket and pulls it up to his chest. "What's that look for? Aren't you scared yourself?

"Well, of course I am. I wouldn't be human if I wasn't nervous about going against a woman as powerful as her." Her smile is easy, yet slightly lopsided, betraying a hint of that nervousness she had just mentioned. "I'm not scared shitless either, but I'm a bit anxious."

" _You_ are nervous?"

Moon blinks at him very carefully. "Why the surprise?"

He's nearly _baffled_ that she has asked that. True, they are rivals. They sometimes can't stand each other. Others, they trust each other almost blindly. They are pulling at each other's hair all the time. None of that prevents him from feeling surprised that _she_ , of all people, is nervous.

"Because you're strong."

It's succinct, clear, to the point, a bit blunt. Exactly to be expected from him.

Her reaction to this is unreadable. A small dose of surprise, some late-hour exhaustion, and finally, bewilderment. "And so are you. But you're still scared, aren't you?"

Gladion knows she doesn't mean it as an attack. Moon might be the most aggressive person in history, but whenever she asks him things like these, she _never_ means to offend him. Despite the many opportunities she's had to attack him and make fun of the vulnerable times he's gone through, Moon has never taken advantage of it. Perhaps it's because they have gotten closer lately and she's not inspired to mock him now– or maybe she was never the person he considered her to be at the start.

Right now, her voice is too low to be offensive– it's kind, even. Understanding. No more jokes; just sincerity. "I'm nervous about not living up to these standards the Saints have put on us. And… of course, the Empress. I still don't know how we are going to work our way through her."

"Well, if you think about it, we never really knew how to do things. It's our thing: we never know what we're doing, but things always work out in the end."

"Yeah, except that it's a very blind way to do things and you know I _hate_ improvising."

Moon chuckles breathily, barely audible, and ironically mirthless. "We improvised the inner workings of the battle, but we relied on our talent to get out of trouble. We have a plan, but you can't rely on planning your whole life. Look at what happened with Cyrus– we ended up winning, didn't we?"

His answer is quick and meant to debunk her in the most defensive and stubborn way possible. "We got lucky Hau was good with the sword."

"But we _won_. That's what we do: we win. And that's all you need to know for tomorrow. We got out of the Blackring Outpost, fought, and won. We got to Zeffarei, fought, and won." Moon leans a bit forward to catch his expression entirely. She presents him with her default smile– but it's much more heartfelt, sincere. "So, tomorrow, we're gonna go there, fight, and win. We have the power to do it– did it once, did it twice, and we'll do it again."

Moon's ability to drag him wherever she wants him to go is just too powerful for him. No matter what, she constantly makes him stick to her crazy plans and ideas, and so far, only the force of circumstances and failed plans have separated the three of them– but as she says, what matters is that they are alive. They are breathing. And tomorrow, things will be the same.

"So you are saying we will simply sing our way through this?" he asks sarcastically, still headbutting her for the truth to come out.

Moon chuckles, as if she's already said her piece and things truly are that simple. "No, of course not. But we'll come out alive, as we always had–" Moon takes a hand from under the blanket and shows him her pinky. "I'd make one of these pinky promises but I know you–"

It happens so quickly he barely registers he's done it until she stiffens beside him. His finger has curled around hers.

She's _gaping_ at this, blinking so rapidly he nearly thinks something's caught in her eye. "... What."

Gladion doesn't understand her reaction. "You said pinky promise, right? Isn't this how they work? Let's do it, now that we can."

Something foreign and grossly big crosses her eyes, a flash of emotion he can't pin down. With her other hand, Moon covers her mouth and stifles a noise that he distinctly hears is a squeal. "That's… so _cute_."

His free hand digs into his chopped bangs and he growls a hiss. "Whatever. No need to… make a big deal out of this," he mumbles, then turns to her eyes once more. Gladion finds her to be staring at him intently. "Let's promise that we will defeat the Empress. And that we will make it to Zeffarei together again."

A giggle escapes her. It still sounds weird, coming from her. It calms him down. "You're so soft when you're tired, Gladion," he's about to complain about this, but then he feels her pinky curl harder against his and all he has to say dies in his mouth. "Promise! Try not to break a leg, we still gotta spar and all that nonsense."

"It's not nonsense. It's called ' _not damaging your partner's body permanently just for training's sake_ '."

Without letting go of his finger still, Moon crawls out of the blanket halfway to nudge Hau's shoulder. The sorcerer mumbles a small 'what' as he stirs awake. "Pinky promises. Gladion is feeling cute today and we gotta exploit it before he becomes sane again."

Both groan; one from exhaustion, the other regretting every single decision that led to this. "What about?" asks Hau, still with his feet in slumber.

"Keeping ourselves alive and beating Lusamine's ass. Low-hanging fruit for us."

Slowly, Hau brings his hand up and curls his pinky around her free hand, slurring his words as his eyes close again. "Sure, totally. Awesome."

Promises made and Moon's giggles finally calming down, Gladion sets out to sleep. He's dimly aware of Moon's shoulder touching his, as well as the pattern of her breathing. It's always the same, no matter what she goes through; be it rain, hail, sunburn or hell. The night in the barn he had had the distraction of the rain to not memorize the rhythm, but it's still in his head now. Hau tends to breathe much more heavily and slower, whereas Moon is light and barely there, much like her steps in a battlefield.

Everything is quiet, still, and peaceful. The wind of altitude howls around them.

Hopefully tomorrow they will be as untouchable as that.

At some point of the night, he feels the soft touch of something warm on his shoulder, and on the verge of sleeping, he leans against the frilly yet warm contact too. His nose catches the smell of rain and autumn in her hair, and even as he falls asleep, the scent carries itself with him deep into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a reason why this part of the story matches with a lo-fi song in the spotify playlist and the reason is that we're in a very calm 'talk stuff out before the storm hits' dynamic but don't worry :) next chapter is a big, good one :)))
> 
> "It would depend on whether she hurts Lillie for real or not. I assume she's already done nasty things to her, but when I saw her last time, she had no actual bruises on her. I don't have any fondness for her whatsoever," Moon explains. Then, her eyes shift to the blond, hands gesturing at him vaguely. "Even if… you know." / Gladion's eyes narrow on suspicion. Moon grins at him and her eyebrows wag. / "Can I make you a question?" / Her grin is reduced to a knowing smirk. "Of course." - I love lonashipping so much
> 
> "Ghosts of soldiers, yeah," says Gladion, crossing his arms. "Whenever a soldier would die in battle in the Kandrus Empire, the monks would create clay dolls for each fallen soldier so the spirit could hold onto something from the Realm and continue protecting it, even if it was in the body of a small thing. They called them Claydol, and younger soldiers would get some sort of clay peg-top shaped doll because the Kandrus Empire loves peg-tops, for whatever reason." - this is perhaps the best thing I've ever written from the perspective of Pokémon as folklore and I'm so proud of it aAAAAH
> 
> Next chapter is the end of the arc and boy we're hitting the curveball of the fic in general and I can't describe the level of 'shit's going down' that's coming. We're hitting the deep downhill part of it all. I'm so, so, so excited to post it YOU CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE
> 
> Can we also talk about the fact that Gladion finally made a pinky promise with Moon because he cares about them so much we've come SO FAR I'M SO PROUD AH
> 
> also blanket sharing :))) I LOVE LONASHIPPING SO MUCH


	20. Requiem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when the only promise that mattered to you is broken?

"If you keep making noise, whatever is in there is going to catch us."

"And what do you want me to do, then? Just stop existing altogether?"

"What about you stop moving your feet around?"

The Moonreach Sanctuary is not only big, but it's also _huge_. Surrounded by half torn down walls of cobblestone and bathed in a thick layer of ashes and what Kukui believes to be actual snow, the lonely sanctuary sits in the altitude of the peak with plenty of chambers and small mazes to get through. It's not a simple building like what Gladion had expected, and most of the buildings forming this complex have been massacred and for the most part, destroyed.

When they had arrived at the sanctuary, Gladion had been surprised by its opulence, and they still haven't gotten into the facility yet. The cobblestone walls at his back are nearly frozen; it's freezing cold up there. Moon, who is wearing by far the lightest clothes, isn't bothered by this at all, and as she keeps scraping her shoes against the ground, itching to move, Gladion wonders if that could be a way to keep herself warm, but he makes no comment about it.

The entrance to the sanctuary, made of ran down gates and frozen bars hanging from a stone arch, is guarded by a deep green monument that keeps moving from side to side mechanically. "The Golurk won't stop moving, and the moment we alert it, its siblings will come to join the party. And that's gonna get ugly."

"Siblings?" asks Hau. He's crouching right under Kukui, peering from a pillar at the outer walls of the abandoned sanctuary.

Kukui chuckles. "I don't mean a legit brotherhood, but the ancient Golurks these are based on used to live in communities of brothers and sisters– they got no gender, but history says they had a brotherly treatment with each other."

"So if we scare that one, the rest will come along, is that it?" asks Gladion. Moon is fidgeting to jump into the path and fight the guardian, and he's standing back to stop her from doing so. "How are we supposed to do this, then?"

Kukui surveys the scene patiently. "It's not an exact science either, but it's safer to say that there _will_ be guards waiting if we make too much noise. If we wanna get through, we'll have to be very quick about it." A collective sigh. "I don't remember this place ever being guarded– there's never been anything of worth here, after all. It'll be hard to be stealthy but strong at the same time."

Gladion had expected a much cooler plan from somebody with the authority of this guy. Perhaps his standards had been a little bit over the top – expecting badass moves, breezing through security, all done with the safety of an authority validating their recklessness – but all he's given them is wisdom and patience. It's something Gladion appreciates, but he also knows it won't keep the fidgety beast with daggers still for long.

He turns to her and sees her bouncing her body up and down as she crouches. "I can see the tiger getting impatient. We should hurry and come up with something before she snaps."

Moon growls, clearly not happy being addressed as an animal. It sounds similar to a hyena. "I'm getting impatient. I don't wanna screw this mission but I don't get how waiting behind a wall for _something_ to happen is gonna help the situation."

She's right. Gladion doesn't like agreeing with her and thus humoring her antics, but she has a point. The guardian won't do anything different in the future, as their minutes of vigilance had demonstrated. It ambles without an aim and simply turns its head to look for any intruders. If it's capable of hearing the four of them is uncertain, and perhaps it might not be a very bright guardian.

They could try to fool it.

Hau turns from his watching point to face his two friends. "I could try to do something with my magic like I did that time with the guardian totem in Stoneskip Shore. No clue if that would work, though, but I guess it should be enough to break the armor."

"I, uh, didn't wanna say this." Kukui coughs. "But it's very possible that the Empress has full control of the area now. Any outbursts of chi around here might alert her that we're here, and we don't want her to rush her plans."

Gladion's eyes widen in fright. "Wait, wouldn't that mean that she might have noticed us already?"

"... Pretty much."

Nobody has time to say anything, as thumping feet run away from the group and flash into the main path through the cold air of the peak, then jumping while the guard is turning and surveying a blind spot with keen interest. Moon delivers a shattering kick that breaks the armor into pieces with a strident noise.

The girl lands with a gracious flip, using her hands to leap off the ground and wave at them with a big smile. "The coast's clear, you three!"

Gladion stomps out of their hiding spot and takes into the chilly airs of the entrance. "Why the hell did you do that!?"

"Tigers get impatient when their victims don't do anything to save their lives. Did you expect me to just wait for you to do anything?" Moon turns away from them and stomps one of the shards of terracotta with her foot. The noise echoes around them in the winding silence of the sanctuary. "Told you planning everything won't solve anything!"

The three tread into the main path and approach her. The entrance is closed by gates bitten by frost and the withering of time. Maybe they could be shattered with one of Moon's swift kicks, but much to his surprise, Moon is not contemplating this idea. Her foot drums against the cobblestone as she observes a sign on one of the pillars of the entrance.

When Gladion reaches her, he finds a letter sign with signs scribbled on it. Hau pulls a face. "What's that? Is that supposed to be our language?"

"Ah, no," responds Kukui, taking the liberty of removing the foggy layer of frost off the sign. Three lines of symbols appear from underneath, all of them made of circles with different types of lines spiking out of them, other times going around the same circles. "It's the Unknown Language."

Moon leans closer, as though that will make the letters any clearer. "It definitely _is_ unknown to me. What letters even are these?"

"They are letters based on the myth of the Unown Clan. They were little pseudo-deities that helped translate the _Pokétta_ Stone, but nobody knows where that stone could be now. It's said that all magic scripts, as well as rune language, derives from these letters, but I guess you haven't learned rune language yet, right Hau?"

He shakes his head. "Nah, I ain't that interested. That stuff about writing magic down is kinda boring. I know how to derive rune magic into staff magic, but I'm not an expert. Can't we just kick the door open?"

"Impossible," Moon claims, nodding to herself. "I'll hurt my ankle."

"Nobody said it had to be you," deadpans Gladion, watching her turn to him with a smirk.

"You all know I'm the best at breaking doors down– it's a certified fact!" Moon chuckles, then turns back to the sign. "But we should stick to these people's wishes and the norm. I hate it. But let's be respectful to the environment and not break anything."

The sorcerer points at the shattered statue behind him. "Do you mean anything _else_?"

"Exactly what I said." Ignoring Gladion and Hau's perplexion, she turns to Kukui. "Do you know rune language? Maybe Hau could sort something out. I guess that should be much less flashy than staff magic, right?"

A throat being cleared, a familiar blond pulling at the collar of his shirt and attracting the eyes of his friends. " _I_ know rune language. Sort of."

Their heads whip so fast they almost get whiplash. "Woah, you do!? But you know nothing about sorcery, don't ya'!?"

"My godfather uses rune language in some of his transcripts. He once thought they looked cool and learned the language. It's a rather simple language," he explains. As much as he _adores_ his friends being taken aback by his expertise, he can't deny it's not hard to accomplish at all. "It's also very useful for pharmacy. Some companies write their formulas down with that language so thieves can't steal their recipes. I'm not looking at anybody, Moon."

Her body tenses up, and then she jams her fists on her hips in complaint. "I can always find one in a chest. Don't underestimate me."

"That hasn't been very successful thus far though, ain't it?" chuckles Hau. Moon ignores this. "Can you translate it then, Gladbag? We gotta hurry… this place is giving me the creeps."

Hau is correct– there's something in the air that is building tension within him like bricks of a house, or like ticking pebbles falling off an avalanche. The silence around them is deafening and so thick it's nearly something he can clutch, something he can _destroy_. The force around them, the overpowering looming essence of time stopping in the air; it's too powerful, too heavy. He wants to think he's making a big deal out of something caused by fear, but reality feels different.

Still, stiff as he is, Gladion leans close and inspects the symbols. He's aware of Moon and Hau's eyes on him, but far from making him uncomfortable, it feels like a shove to continue pushing forward.

It's nice.

Translating the symbols is an easy science: most of them already resemble the language and calligraphy he's used to. If anything, he's surprised Moon the Wannabe Smartass hasn't figured it out yet.

"I think it says to use some sort of fire magic on the lock. I could be wrong, but I doubt I am."

The expression on Moon's face screams ' _wow you think you're so smart_ ' but he knows he is, and his firm stern expression reinforces this sentiment. Kukui nods in agreement. "Yeah, he's right. A total bummer, though, because we can't be using magic now. Not if we wanna alert the other Golurks of our presence."

"Yeah totally," nods Hau, sighing, and turning around to the shattered Golurk. His expression immediately pales. "Uh…"

"I mean, I can kick the door down if you guys wanna, you just gotta say the magic word!" claims Moon, pushing up her already short sleeves. Gladion frowns at her. "I'm gonna kick this baby down in no time! Just sit back and watch big teach Moon get things done!"

Hau is silent behind them. The swordmaster's eyes narrow in Moon's direction. "You could have done that earlier. No need to brag now."

"Uh… guys?" Moon, Gladion, and Kukui turn to Hau, ready to ask before the three instantly take a step back and gasp. "What the hell is _that_!?"

The Golurk from before has not only transformed back into its shape, but has also managed to get bigger, a few feet above them and only sparing them a second to realize that they are _intruders_. Its eyes flicker, narrow, and then the Golurk releases a scream so deep and rough it reverberates within Gladion's chest and brings absolute fear into his heart.

Before long, he hears heavy thuds descending the slope that goes up to the sanctuary. Kukui steps between them and the golem, adopting a pose that he assumes must be for fighting. "Go forth! I will take care of this!"

Moon turns around in alarm. "But–!"

"Just do it! I'll be fine– fighting some will be good to practice!" Kukui cracks his knuckles and grins at the guardian, which is eyeing him with anger. "Head to the right, that's where Lusamine must be! There's a long hallway, just go forth and don't stop! Even if you wanna rest and you gotta take a breather– just go on! Don't let them hold you down, I will handle them if they resurrect like this!"

Gladion isn't okay with leaving him alone, but Moon and Hau have made the decision for him and have readied their weapons, Hau aiming a blast at the door. He growls. "We will do our best!"

"Yeah! We're gonna kick that woman's ass, so you better kick this dude's ass yourself!" That's Hau, his staff beginning to burn with fire. "We'll be waiting there!"

"Don't take too long!" Moon twirls her daggers into her hands. "If you don't come, we're gonna hog all the glory! You better hurry, old man!"

"I'll be fine, just push forward! And never stop running!" The guardian readies an attack. "Good luck, you three! See you soon!"

And with that, Hau releases a blast of fire on the doors and they slam open, letting the three warriors push past the entrance and take to the path up the sanctuary. Even if the ground is slippery and the frostbite has gotten worse the higher they go, they run, take a sharp turn to the right and run upwards, being met with the view of the stampeding Golurks coming their way– but Hau has other plans.

"Guys, jump!" And so they do, allowing Hau to call upon a whirling tremor of the earth that coils around him, then runs towards the Golurks in the shape of pillars, spiking out of the frozen ground and shattering the frontlines to smithereens. Gladion breezes past the spikes and into the crowd of guardians while Moon uses the barrier for further support and jumps deeper into the masses.

Much to Gladion's delight, the terracotta armors of these guardians are gentle to his sword. They shatter easily and evenly, and a pair of swipes is all it takes for the armor to break down and release its chi. When he takes down one of the guardians, another shows up, attempting to smash him to the ground with its fists, but he jumps on the hands and kicks the head off the golem, apparently enough for it to break down on its own.

From his peripheral vision, he can see Hau using his magic to pierce the armors, sometimes even weaponizing his staff to smack them out of his way as he runs into the hallway with him. Everything is made of crumbling marble, the side walls prodded with the holes of time and wastes of war. There is no end to this passage, but they have not made it this far to be defeated by these guardians.

Not now.

Not when they are almost there, tasting the beginning of a final battle to come.

Moon is by far being the quickest, but that's not a surprise. She twirls, shatters armors, throws herself to the ground and spins to get rid of a whole row of armors and then pushes herself forward, flying with the wind. Hau is making big strides and not leaving a single guardian behind Gladion, but she's quickly sweeping through the place like she was _meant_ to be there.

The worst – and admittedly best – of her is when she headbutts one of the guardians into submission, then uses its crumbling shoulders to throw herself up and kick a Golurk right through its chest. "Slowpokes, you're gonna be left behind!" she screeches a few feet away from him with the ferocity of a bleeding warrior, raising her dagger. "Imma' have to do everything myself, eh?"

"You're so annoying!" Gladion screams back, pushing to reach her. Adrenaline pushes into his veins like a river pulsing down a stream, chaotic and wild. "Like I would let you hog all the glory for yourself!"

Like the rascal she is, even in the push and shove of the race to the final showdown, she snickers and continues cartwheeling her way through the battle, rushing forward with her daggers out and aiming for the highest apple in the apple. And Gladion is not one to let himself be bested, so he chases after her, slicing cleanly with his Silvally faster than ever before.

"You two, duck to the sides!"

Gladion jumps as close to the wall as he can, and Moon grabs onto a pillar and rolls behind it and out of the hallway right before a mess of thorny vines trespasses the hallway and tears through a whole mass of guardians at one, then burning at the ends to finish off the terracotta shards on the ground.

When the ashes evaporate, Moon spins out of her hiding place and crosses the corridor's width to shatter one Golurk, bounces on the wall and continues sprinting. The end of the hallway is close, Gladion can see the whites and blues of the sky and the frost coating his bones.

Right in front of him, a line of enemies steps into a straight line formation, and his eyes narrow. This is the last push, one last sprint, his aim clear in front of him.

One step back, then a thousand forward as Gladion calls Moon's name and she dodges him just in time for him to rush and slice the dozen last Golurks all in one clean motion, shattering them to pieces under Moon's disbelieving gaze and Hau's shocked eyes. His body is hunched forward, tired, and he heaves once before letting himself bend back up and breathe out in relief.

His eyes swing to Moon, then to Hau, who is running towards him. "No time to lose, the Empress must be d–!"

The ground _shakes_ , tremors around them and begins to fall apart as something _right above them_ screeches and digs its claws into the weak ceiling of the frail building. Alarmed, the three heroes witness chunks of the building collapsing right at the entrance of the hallway, as well as the ending to the outside they were headed to.

Gladion has just taken a step to run away when the floor under him _breaks_ but a hand tugs him out of trouble and Hau rushes with him to the end of the hallway, taking leaps and jumps out of danger and to the safety of snow and ashes on the ground.

Moon, Hau, and Gladion jump out of the collapsing hallway, which falls into the depths of the crack in the peak as a monster of dark chi howls, wails and digs its claws into the building– yet it's not facing them, and continues tearing the hallway apart as the trio looks forward, pleased but _terrified_ to see Lusamine standing down at the end of the path at the edge of the cliff of the peak.

And Lillie is with her. Unconscious. Lying on the snow.

Moon dashes down the path immediately, Hau and Gladion following after her. They must have made lots of noise on their way because Lusamine only turns around when Moon has her feet on the plateau of white grass and crumbled pillars. Around them: the void, a snowstorm under their feet at the summit of the Moonreach Peak and the blue, graying sky above them.

The Empress turns her eyes to them; they are still green, golden and stern, so cold the green tone seems to have turned gray. "My, it seems like I have early guests. I would have never expected anybody to find me, but I suppose it was bound to happen. Things this glorious are not meant to happen without a crowd."

All eyes turn from her to Lillie, motionless on the ground and paler than ever before. Moon hisses. "What did you do to _her_ , Empress?"

"And you still call me Empress? It would seem as if you expect me to go back to that dirty, small throne of mine." The Empress bends her wrist under her chin, observing them with cynical eyes. "I have transcended that charge. I am afraid I will not fit in that role anymore. There is so much more beyond the boundaries of this small Realm."

Gladion's eyes narrow in pure hatred. "Of course, because the Dark Realm will be much bigger than this, huh?"

"I would not say this is a matter of which place will be bigger. My motives are not for children like you to understand– after all, the Dark Lord has already bestowed me with its blessings to fuse our worlds. I will be the queen of a new world; a clean, beautiful and perfect world." She nods to herself, pleased with her own words. "I do not expect children like you to understand my motives. Such complexity is hard to grasp."

Hau makes the mistake of taking a look at the woman curled in the snow. His breathing is growing jagged with each moment she spends lying there, motionless, paling and he's sure she's _not_ breathing. "At the expense of your own daughter's life!?"

Lusamine doesn't nod, she doesn't shake her head, but there is a certain sadistic approval in the smirk that begins to curl at her lips. "My daughter is simply another step. I will not let her hinder the path to glory. Knowing her, she would have got in my way. Wouldn't you say it has been much more merciful to use her for the greater good? She looks beautiful, covered in white and sleeping."

The fact that she's sleeping is relieving, but her revelations are _horrifying_. "She's freezing to death!" screams Moon, her eyes darting between the calm Empress and the Princess. "I won't be asking this again. _What did you do to her_?"

The edge in her voice is the most chilling of them all. Gladion holds back a shudder. "She's resting. Her chi will soon reach its highest point. That is what the Dark Lord has asked of me, and I never disappoint my allies. The world will soon be mine, and it will be tainted with the color of beauty. A color only a few of us will ever understand, it seems." Turning around, Lusamine motions at the sky spread before them, the void at her feet; she attempts to encompass the whole universe with her bare hands. "This world will be reborn in the best shape of itself. But for the world to be reborn, I will have to wipe the slate clean."

Gladion's heart swells, shatters and falls through his stomach; this woman is supposed to be his mother, the Empress of the Aedus, a woman of sanity and rightfulness, and yet...

"You will kill _everyone_ in this Realm!" exclaims Hau, motioning at the world that sleeps at their feet, unaware of Lusamine's plans at the feet of the Moonreach Peak, so far down below it's impossible to see the peace and humankind. "There's too many good people in this Realm to be killed off just because you wanna fulfill your selfish wishes!"

Lusamine shakes her head. "Sweet Hau, I believe you would never understand the complexities of this Realm." She continues looking out, her eyes turning to her daughter at her feet. "It is alright, though. The concept of breaking the sky to meet your true Lord is not easy to understand, nor are my motives. You will not need to understand, however. After all, fate has already been settled; it is a matter of time."

Moon grits her teeth. Her grip on her daggers is so tight her knuckles have turned white. "Not if we got something to say about the matter!"

"Oh? So you wish to challenge me? You have already tasted defeat once, Moon. It is uncanny for you to trip with the same stone twice."

"This isn't a matter of tripping with stones– not when you're a whole _wall_ on the way!" Moon stands upright and cracks her knuckles. "Everyone, their mom, their father, and their children know I got a bad habit of breaking through walls that are hard to climb. And you aren't an exception, Empress."

Gladion hates that analogy– but her saying it now, standing proud, is inspiring. And stupid. But the face she's putting right now inspires no humor. The Empress is far from laughing, at least.

Lusamine nods. "Hm. You and your friends are indeed extraordinary. Your wish to defy me is only characteristic of a mindless animal."

"Only an animal would use their daughter as _fodder_ for some Dark Lord to eat," claims Hau, confident and digging his feet into the snow and ash. "We're just here to get you off your high ground! We ain't gonna let you touch this Realm!"

"I see," she concedes. She looks confident yet calm; that is, until a wide smirk with _teeth_ spreads across her pale features. "I had not expected that I would have to teach children a lesson twice, but this is merely a setback. I will not let you meddle with my plans any longer!"

The Empress intends to send a sphere of energy their way that Hau promptly avoids with a jump, standing at the back again while Moon and Gladion attempt to attack her again from both sides. Their respective weapons meet the screens of chi she's placed around her, sending them a few feet back. Heels brush the edges of the cliff, and Moon hisses. This is exactly like last time. It's all the same game.

Which means that all they have to do is amp things up a little.

In a flash, Moon is right behind the Empress, but instead of using her knives to attack her, Moon gives Lusamine a hard kick that sends her towards Gladion, who has seen Moon coming and has readied his sword– yet the cunning woman has used Moon's impulse to ready another attack on Gladion, yet this one never arrives.

Hau shoots a shard of ice her way, which distracts her and forces her to shield herself instead, sending her to the ground, her heels hissing in the snow. Moon, one dagger between her teeth and another on her hip, resorts to martial arts, one leg aimed for her head that is easily dodged by the woman crouching, who rolls away from Gladion as he tries to stab her again.

When the duo meets, they charge towards Lusamine again, and the Empress sends them flying back with a swipe of her hand– but she's not done here, and charging her fist with chi, she jumps in the air and falls right towards Moon, punching the ground right beyond her.

But Moon is no longer there– she's right above Lusamine, leg bent to give her what could have been a lethal hit on the neck. However, the Empress grabs her ankle and throws her across the field, her hand wrapped by a flame of dark chi, which makes it even _worse_.

Gladion and Hau call her name, her frame lost in the dust and ashes, and distracted with her fall, they don't notice Lusamine dashing towards Hau– yet Gladion is already there, sword in hand to block her hit and kick her off Hau's side angrily. His evergreen eyes register Moon getting up, wiping a bead of sweat off her jaw, and then looking under her to feel the ground rumbling– a pillar of rocks surges right from under her and sends Lusamine flying.

That's the sign for Moon to step up, which she does, jumping just as high to land a hit on her and slam her on the ground from above– which she does, screaming as she does so and landing before Lusamine, the latter cracking the ground with her fall and releasing a yell of pain, much to the delight of the warriors.

But they make the mistake of getting overzealous with enthusiasm. Her voice comes out rough. "How interesting…"

Slamming her hand on the ground, spikes of ice surge from under the ground, gathering all the snow and creating a speak with it that pierces right through Hau's shoulder, one of his spells dying on his lips as his blood soaks the ice. Moon and Gladion call for him, startled and worried, but before they can do as much as rush to his aid, _something_ pulls them to the ground and their bodies collapse and fall flat.

Above them, the Empress observes them, entertained, a thin trail of blood trickling down her jaw. "I am tired of entertaining children. You have some guts, hurting the future Empress of this Realm. Your parents must be ashamed."

Oh, that's ironic. That's so _bitterly ironic._

But Gladion can't even think about it, because a heel slams on his cheek and pushes his head against the ground. He hears Moon gasp. Hau calls his name weakly. A few inches away, he hears the mile-deep fall under the cliff howling with wind and hunger.

Her heel nudges his head closer to the edge. "Your friend will die of blood loss– but I will leave him last. I doubt he can do much in this state. What a shame, huh?"

Moon gasps quietly, raspy and tired. He can't get a look of her face, turned in the direction of the void. Gravity is pushing everyone _down_ , no longer up, and he wonders for a split second if Lusamine will try to kill him, or maybe throw him off the ledge.

A female voice speaks up– Moon's voice. "Leave them alone."

The heel digs harder on his face, bruising. Gladion groans– that thing is sharp. "What is it, little Moon? Don't you enjoy seeing your dear rival hurt? Don't you enjoy seeing sweet Hau all bloody and pretty? I would say the red suits him nicely. If only he would put a better face… that would be _so_ nice."

And then, he feels _burning_ on his stomach– Lusamine, aiming fire towards that zone, intending to burn him to _ashes_ – he can see it in her eyes, in her widening smirk, in her– "I said stop it!"

"Stop fretting, child. It will be over soon. I just wish to see that spark of fear in this calm, collected and so _cold_ warrior." His body trembles. His eyes flicker from side to side, his head begins to shut down, his teeth grit and something warm drips down his temple, the music of danger filling his ears– it's all a storm. It's all fear. "How does it feel, Gladion? To know you are about to die? To know that people around you will die next?"

He doesn't want to die– as tired and in pain as he is, already feeling dark chi spreading with Lusamine's touch, he's almost tempted to let her have her way. He's found his family. He has discovered too many things to go back to his comfortable life anymore. Gladion is no longer himself.

But if he could take his life and let his friends have it… perhaps he would.

Ears clogged, Moon says something that he doesn't quite catch– but it makes Lusamine _angry_ , throwing a stream of dark energy her way. "Stop fight–!"

A scream of pain. Warmth exploding to his side. His eyes becoming blurry, a shadow passing by him. Panting.

Gladion turns his head to the side. The Empress is no longer there– but now it's Moon, fist raised and _bleeding_ , looking at Lusamine as she picks herself up. He cannot see Moon's face from this angle, but the stillness of her body and the stoic posture drives him to think that her lightness has become heavy, angry and _pissed_.

"What in the world did you _two_ do!?" Because it's not only Moon who is standing, but also Hau, who has sung her entire side crisp with fire, panting profusely and clutching his shoulder with green energy cupping his shoulder.

Moon points her finger in Lusamine's direction. A droplet of blood hits the snow. Her daggers have disappeared. "An old man with very ugly clothes told us to keep on pushing forward, and that's what we're gonna do! If I see you put a hand on my friends, I'm gonna tear you apart!"

And Moon charges again, commanding Hau to do something as she grabs Lusamine by the neck and throws her to the ground. Gladion stares, his body numb.

 _Get up_.

Who is that?

_Get up!_

It's a voice, swimming in the blurred noises and cloudy surroundings, floating like a presence in his mind. His eyebrows sink, the world spinning slowly as his companions fight.

_You made her a promise– you made them both a promise! You have no other option but to get up and fight!_

But he can't. His body is– _Your body is fine! Your body has had much worse stuff on it! You're better than that, and they know it!_

Gladion breathes deep. In his stupor and his fading consciousness, he hasn't realized that he has a bad cut on his leg, that he has a bruise on his cheek and that his energy is almost depleted. The pull of gravity has gotten loose, but still, somehow…

_Don't let fear paralyze you. Are you going to just lie and die? That's not who you are. That's not who you have become._

He sees Moon and Hau get pushed away. They scream. Moon rolls to the ground. Hau skids and pants, his knees buckling. He can dimly hear Lusamine speaking, his ears drumming with the own beat of his erratic heart, yet…

_You have a promise to keep. Don't disappoint her. You know you wouldn't want to disappoint them._

With them on the ground, Gladion watches Lusamine laugh. The noise is erratic, intermittent in his half-deaf ears, but he can see her hands twitching as she reaches for– Lillie. She's walking towards _Lillie_ , bending down to pick her up and–

"You two are fools! Utter fools!" Her voice is breathy with exhaustion, and laughter bubbles under the surface. With extreme ease, Lusamine lifts Lillie by the back of her dress, the latter sagging like a lifeless doll. Gladion's heart _aches_. "If you dare touch me, I will throw her off this cliff! She might even be dead, who knows? It is not like you will have time to find out, you will die soon." And then, she hangs Lillie deliberately close to the edge. "I will kill her. And you will never–"

 _Blood_. A shadow, a sword crossing through Lusamine's stomach. She retches blood to the ground at her feet, thick and rich as she stares at the trembling blade sticking out of her abdomen. The Empress' hands tremble, and her eyes go wild in fear.

" _Gladion_!" call Hau and Moon. Grunting, growling and desperate, Hau uses his last vestiges of chi to send a spell under Lusamine that will push her forward, the ground shaking under her as both Lillie and the Empress fall to the snow and ash.

Gladion steps away from them, panting heavily. He grabs his side, one eye closed, staggering backward to Moon and Hau's side. "I can't let you go any further than this." He wipes a stream of blood off his eye. It strangely tastes like salt on his bottom lip. "My own family… I can't let you touch that."

For a moment, the battle stills. It feels, for one second, like they have won. Lusamine is quiet, Lillie is quiet, _everything is just too quiet_.

A fist clutching snow, arms trembling as Lusamine looks at them and crawls to her knees. Her thick, rich blood is over her white dress, sprinkling the ends of her platinum hair– but seeing her wicked face, Gladion knows this woman cannot be his family. That blood cannot be running down his veins, too.

Unbeknownst to them, however, dark clouds have begun to gather at the sky. They witness, gaining tension once more, how something begins to rip itself into existence in the thick, cold air– a dark ridge, something similar to shadows and molten obsidian, mixing and letting one lonely figure steps out.

"You are looking rather tough, Lusamine."

Their hopes _crash_. Trepidation, fear, and hopelessness fill the warriors' hearts as they witness the last person they would have wanted to see step out into their Realm.

Cyrus.

 _It's Cyrus_.

And Lusamine appears to be _delighted_ by his appearance. "Cyrus! Thank the Lord you made it here. These children are… so stubborn," she stutters, removing blood from her chin with the heel of her hand, standing up. "They will not let us win. They do not understand how the world works… they do not want to understand."

Arms bent behind his back, Cyrus seems to have seen this coming. His expression, forever dyed in grim colors and cold emptiness, devoid of feeling, doesn't change at all as his eyes flicker across the wounded heroes. "Ah. It seems to be the case. I expected them to come, in reality."

"Oh?" Cyrus nods slowly. "So, I suppose you have come to help– _ngh_!"

He hasn't.

His face never looked like one looking to make friends, after all– and instead of being nice, cooperative and the ally he had been supposed to be, he lifts Lusamine by her hair and grabs her throat, his eyes unreadable and darkening as they connect with the Empress.

"Your help has proven to be of utmost utility. The Dark Lord is greatly pleased with the results thus far," sentences Cyrus, drawling each syllable out. "However, I will not need your assistance anymore. You have been… useless. Weak. The disappointment I feel cannot be quenched by apologies, and I shall take your loan with pleasure."

And with that, the woman _screams_ , kicks and digs her nails into the unfazed man's arms, who holds her up as myriads of little beads of dark chi rain down and enter him, filling him up with the energies that the three warriors had drained in the past. Little by little, the Empress stops kicking, stops moving, screaming, thrashing, and becomes limp in his all but caring hold. Cyrus stares at her for three exact seconds, then throws her to she snow without a care.

Gladion, Moon, and Hau stare at him in horror. It nearly feels like the world has gotten a bit darker, a bit colder, and Gladion wonders if his feet feeling so warm and so _tingling_ comes from his sudden desire to run away.

Noises, wails, and growls surface from behind. _Fiends_ , a noise he's heard a thousand times now. "Now," speaks Cyrus slowly, his voice low and looming like that of a demon. "I shall deal with each of you. Individually."

Then, dark matter gathers behind him– ominous, made of despair, darkness and burning ache that only a man like him would create, and he unleashes a tremendous dark claw on the three weakened warriors, descending upon Gladion in the shape of night, death, _death_ –

The next moments of the battle happen in a blur. He doesn't understand what is happening, only feels harsh hands on his numb body shoving him out of the way of the dark claws and yelping as the surge of dark chi takes them instead. When he looks up, he realizes with shaking eyes what has happened.

"Interesting."

His world falls to the floor and shatters.

Moon squirms as Cyrus takes her to his side with the dark claw, and when Gladion is about to grab his Silvally and interrupt the conversation, a collection of fiends come to seize him, immobilizing him. By his side, Hau squirms and trashes, pinned to the ground, his staff having been shattered and falling to the ground, fiends eating the wood. Blood pumps in his ears, rendering Hau's shouts of her name deaf, but her image remains sharp in his eyes.

It's all he can see: her in the grip of that man, looking at her with a murderous gaze, claw of dark chi wrapped around her neck and shoulders.

"You have no weapons on you at the moment, but you still act this recklessly? No wonder the battle has ended like this," Cyrus dismissively looks at the unmoving body of Lusamine. Gladion realizes with bated breath that Moon is hovering dangerously close to the cliff's edge. " _Fascinating_. Lusamine truly did not live up to my expectations, but I will take pleasure in trapping a rat as troublesome as you with my own hands."

The dark grip on her disappears immediately and Cyrus' hands coil around her throat, being met with Moon's own to free herself from his suffocating grip. "Trap me? Don't make me laugh," she coughs, sparing a glance at her friends. Her expression falls an inch when she sees their utterly panicked visages, but she remains mighty all the same. "You didn't get me last time and– _agh_!"

His grip on her throat tightens. Cyrus lifts her off the ground until her feet are dangling inches off the snow, then takes a step closer to the cliff. "Truly interesting. Your resilience is worth admiring, but it is not surprising anymore. Charming, of course. But you are nothing more than a fool."

It can't be.

Her feet are no longer hovering over the ground– there is no ground below her.

_There is no ground below her._

"You're the foolish one for underestimating me," Moon gasps out, sparing the fall below her a second– Gladion takes in how her skin pales, how her laugh comes out shaky, how she's _terrified_ , and his stomach lurches, eyebrows twitching in immeasurable panic.

_It can't be happening._

"Underestimate you? I don't believe–"

Cyrus' eyes widen as he feels a burning pressure against his arm– the talisman, the one Moon had been hiding under her shirt, is pressed against his arm with a vicious force, burning the skin under her trembling rough hands.

"If I'm going down," Moon manages through Cyrus' tightening grasp, "imma' leave an ugly scar on that nasty arm of yours so you never forget my name!"

Slow motion. A hiss of pain, a reflex act that had been all but a mistake.

Cyrus lets go of Moon. He pushes her off from him, and for a second, Moon is floating: her body hangs in the air for one second where their eyes connect, hers and Gladion's, and he sees a spark in her irises that he had never expected to see: a _goodbye_.

And then, Moon falls off the cliff, off the high sanctuary, and into the void, her hand clutching the air before she disappears into the abyss.

When Cyrus grabs his arms with a scream of pain, the Talisman clinks against the ground, empty, and the fiends evaporate to let Gladion rush and try to grab her– try to save her–

She's gone.

 _Moon is gone_.

_He didn't catch her._

"That _child_!" screams Cyrus, grabbing his arm, expression contorted into absolute pain. "How could she even–!?"

Cyrus is barely able to hear a shadow moving, the shadow taking out his dear _Silvally_ , the shadow hissing and growling as his blade clashes with his now bleeding hand. When Cyrus takes a closer look, he finds a delightful sight:

It's Gladion. But, at the same time, it isn't. Those eyes, shadowed by wrinkles of pure ire and bleeding agony are not his, but the ones of a _killer_.

"Where is she?" asks Gladion with a trembling voice, keeping his sword against the hand of the villain, trying to cut it off, eyes blistering with heat and hatred and insanity because _there is so much that eyes like his can hold in a color as delicate as his_.

The man dares to chuckle. Gladion's eyes narrow further. His blade trembles with quivering intensity. " _Where is she!?_ "

Before Gladion can ask more questions, however, a thousand spears of ice rain on the back of the mastermind, frost, fire and so much pain in the arrows that it cannot be counted with elements or numbers that make him stumble back and scream again.

Another portal rips itself open behind Cyrus, who twists his body to ease the pain; and Gladion, submerged in his own illusion of red, black and white, aims his sword at him even as the villain begins to disappear.

"I will be back someday, and things will be much different than what they have been today. Remember this, Gladion," and then, a cackle of mockery. "You will never be able to kill me if you do not have a murderer in your eyes. Shall the Sun never shine upon you."

The darkness fades away as it had come, more quickly than anyone would have wanted it because Gladion's hands tremble around his sword, the blade making noises as it quivers and then _stops_ , because when the ire leaves, all that is left is the cold, light-headed certainty that all he's just gone through has been a dream. A nightmare.

So when he turns around, he expects Moon to be there.

Her voice is all that remains. A memory.

_"Everything's prettier the higher one is!"_

But Moon has fallen off. A half-a-mile fall. Far away from reach. Far away from them, into the void.

He falls to his knees, crawling to the edge. It feels like the sun is finally sinking after a long, long day in paradise.

_"Are you fucking telling me you wouldn't catch me, then, eh!?"_

He didn't catch her. Gladion calls her name– he screams her name, hands digging into the snow, seeking her with frantic eyes– because she always survives. She always wins. She's always laughing.

But she's been lost to the void. His throat seizes down a sob. " _No_ …"

" _You could say I will pester you forever!"_

"Moon?" he calls weakly, his heart swelling. Tears come faster than realization does. "Come out already! Cyrus– he's gone! The coast is– _it's clear now_!"

Gladion hears Hau speaking from a certain distance. He's not sure where he is– but he sounds just as lost, confused and _destroyed_ as him. "Where… where did she go?" He offers no answer, eyes still lost, becoming empty. "She… no way, right?"

" _If you're not gonna aim for the top, what's the point?"_

Behind Gladion, somebody stirs. It makes noises in the snow, it disrupts the ground under his sore knees, it distracts him from his burning eyes, because everything hurts, he cannot feel anything other than a voice, a small gasp, soft words, and murmured nothings.

"What… happened?" That's Lillie's voice. Weak, ragged. Lost. But then, she sees her mother, bathing in her own blood and barely breathing. Alarmed, the Princess crawls to her mother, her eyes barely open, and shakes her. Hau looks away from her, from Gladion, from _everything_ – "Mother, mother? What happened? Wake up!"

" _I would catch you, too_."

The blond distractedly looks behind him. That is when Lillie notices not only him, but Hau too, and her eyes begin to sparkle a little in relief. The noise of approaching steps and screams from people coming for them becomes muddled.

But she also darts her eyes around. Panic settles in her eyes. There is a blank space between them. Two broken hearts _shatter_.

" _Let's promise that we will defeat the Empress. And that we will make it to Zeffarei together again."_

The world dies.

"Gladion? What's wrong?" Lillie asks, cradling her mother to her chest as tears begin to prickle at her eyes in anticipated realization. "Why... are you looking at me like that?"

" _Promise!"_

How is he supposed to explain to her that _Moon_ – the invincible, the smiling heroine, the unbreakable –is gone because he has failed her?


End file.
